Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Barry H." <nebarry AT verizon.net>]

On 4/28/2013 2:21 AM, K Randolph wrote:
> Maybe a better way to say it is the difference between learning to use a
> language, and acquiring mastery thereof. The patterns learned in a
> cognate language can interfere with acquiring mastery in a target
> language, as the mind unconsciously tries to apply consistently the
> patterns to similar situations. The cognate effect interferes with the
> mastery, not basic learning.

Again, that has not been my experience at all in the languages mentioned.

> What I’ve learned is that Biblical Hebrew grammar is far different from
> even Mishnaic Hebrew. From what I learned, Mishnaic Hebrew is a tense
> based language (according to Waltke and O’Connor). Biblical Hebrew
> conjugates for neither tense, nor aspect, nor mood, rather
> grammaticalizes for concepts that I’ve found in no other language. But
> in reaching this realization, I even had to unlearn what I was taught in
> class concerning Hebrew. That took me many years and several times
> reading Tanakh through cover to cover.

Waltke was one of my professors. Under him, I didn't come to quite the 
same conclusions as you seem to have come.

> Now I studied Latin, but found it such a useless language that I forgot
> almost all that I learned. Not so with koiné Greek, which I use almost
> every day.

Rident stolidi verba Latina.

--
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
The American Academy
http://www.americanacademy.net
The North American Reformed Seminary
http://tnars.net
Bible Translation Magazine
http://bible-translation.net