Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] SOBIY

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] SOBIY
  • Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 17:37:38 -0400

This is a modern song written in biblical Hebrew, and performed by a superb singer of Yemenite origin. The isolated Jews of Yemen are believed to have kept a very ancient pronunciation of Hebrew.
There is no evidence that anyone ever spoke (spoke!) Biblical Hebrew.
I believe that the NAQDANIYM had a well established tradition, or MASORAH, of how to read the Hebrew bible in general, and the TORAH in particular.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On May 18, 2011, at 2:44 PM, K Randolph wrote:

Isaac:

What does this have to do with Biblical Hebrew?

Modern pronunciation is not the same as Biblical Hebrew pronunciation, and even Masoretic Hebrew, is known not to have been the same as Biblical pronunciation.

So what relationship does this modern song have with Biblical Hebrew?

Karl W. Randolph

On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 9:46 AM, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
You may find this of some linguistic interest. Here is the rousing
refrain SOBIY, SOBIY MAMTERAH, turn, turn sprinkler :

סובי, סובי, ממטרה, הי
סובי, סובי, ממטרה
לפזר פניני אורה
סובי והתיזי מים
עץ יריע בשדרה
אדמה תיתן פריה
באין גשם משמיים

from the popular Israeli song HORAH MAMTERAH. Here: http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRUyFyRJOUE you may listen to it being
performed by the prima diva, the תימניה Shoshanah Damari. What
is interesting in this is that I think I hear her sing SOVIY, SOVIY,
with a soft B, and not SOBIY, SOBIY, with a hard B.

Isaac Fried, Boston University





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page