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  • From: "Barry H." <nebarry AT verizon.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Ruth 1: 12 too old for a husband
  • Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 08:30:49 -0400

On 7/22/2013 8:19 AM, Chris Watts wrote:
Ok positive proof that my modern hebrew needs some serious
negotiation. I never meant 'too old to be a woman' but that is
obviously what I wrote quite funny since this is how I would have
said it in conversation and been laughed at. (made a similar mistake
in dutch many years ago when starting to learn - I ordered chips with
hot peanut butter sauce and onions - I instead asked for chips and
peanut butter sauce with lots of cows udders please! instead of
onions because the two words are only different by a single letter,
and I pronounced that single letter obviously)

With my students, I tell them "One little letter -- it can make all the difference. Look at the word sit -- add a letter and it can radically change the meaning [at this point, they are not at all sure what letter I'm thinking of, and I supply a pregnant pause] -- just put an 'e' at the end, and you get "site..."

However, in mastering a modern language, it's those kinds of mistakes a) that are the most embarrassing at the time b) that we learn the most from and c) that are the most fun to talk about later.

--
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog

My opinions in this message are my
own, and reflect no institution with
which I may be affiliated




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