Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

To return to the original issue: Realistically, Shoshanah Damary (and  
with her all of us) sings SOVIY, SOVIY, and not SOBIY, SOBIY not  
because of her Yemenite roots, but because she intuitively feels that  
this is the right, integrated, way to pronounce it. It is to the  
consternation of all the grammar pundits and purists, but I agree  
with her. Even if the dot in the B of SOBIY is to "inform" the reader  
that this is a one for two, there is still no obvious reason why it  
should be read as an English B, and not as an English V.

I would not dare give a closed form definition to "Biblical" Hebrew,  
but in contrast to it, spoken Hebrew does not use the Waw "HAHIPUK",  
rarely (except in poetry) uses the Heh HA$ELAH, rarely uses A$ER,  
refrains from using heavily inflected words, and is strict on tense.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On May 18, 2011, at 9:35 PM, K Randolph wrote:

> Isaac:
>
> What is your definition of Biblical Hebrew? It sounds as if it is  
> very different from mine.
>
> Karl W. Randolph.
>
> On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 6:27 PM, Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu> wrote:
> There is no evidence that Biblical Hebrew was ever a spoken language.
>
> Isaac Fried, Boston University