Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

1. Every allegation is "made up".

2. Do you know the genetic relationship between Hebrew and Arabic? If not, then it is a mystery. I will give you an example. We find in the Hebrew bible the curious name GOZAL (Deut. 32:11), 'nestling, young bird'. It is curious since the act GAZAL (as in Ezekiel 18:18) is 'rob'. The (otherwise excellent) standard Hebrew dictionary of Eben Shoshan brings to this word the "etymology" of Arab JOWZAL. To this, I say: so what.

3. Can you "read" the so called "Akkadian"? If not, then leave it out. Have you actually read any "Ugaritic text"? if not, then leave it out.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On May 9, 2013, at 10:59 PM, Ishinan wrote:

Isaac Fried wrote:  Aramaic appears to me to be but bastard Hebrew, and the genetic relationship between Hebrew and Arabic is a mystery, and so any search for a common ancestral language is, in my opinion, futile. I dismiss "Akkadian" and "Ugaritic" as they are but tentative languages, and of which I know nothing (and I don't think they are worth the effort to "study".)

 

Ishinan: When debating any issue, there is an implicit burden of proof on the person asserting a claim. If I am not mistaken you've made four heavyweight allegations.

 

1- Claimed that Aramaic (a lingua franca of empires)  is a "bastard language".

2- Declared that the genetic relationship between Hebrew and Arabic is a mystery.

3- Flatly rebuked the search for a common ancestral language which you consider as "futile".

4- Dismissed Akkadian and Ugaritic as merely "tentative languages".

 

 

I have to admit I have never witnessed so many made up allegations, all casually divulged in such a short paragraph.

 

While you are at it, what are exactly your definitions for a "bastard language" and "tentative languages" ? Please elaborate.

    

 

 

Ishinan Ishibashi

 

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