for me it's a mixture of German and Arabic....not nice sounding language definitely.
How does modern Hebrew sound to non-Hebrew speakers?
<<I find it's just that one throat clearing sound that sounds really awful. >>
How many other languages have this sound? Is it less noticeable in oter langauges?
How many other languages have this sound? Is it less noticeable in oter langauges?
<<
How many other languages have this sound? Is it less noticeable in oter langauges? >>
I don't know, but it's certainly a different sound to 'standard' throat clearing sound like the Spanish 'j' or Russian 'kh'. Those ones are a lot softer and 'cleaner'...
How many other languages have this sound? Is it less noticeable in oter langauges? >>
I don't know, but it's certainly a different sound to 'standard' throat clearing sound like the Spanish 'j' or Russian 'kh'. Those ones are a lot softer and 'cleaner'...
Hebrew's throat clearing sound resembles the German "ch", like in the word "milch" or "reich"...
Not true. "Milch" and "Reich" have softer sounds than for example the "ch" in the word "Achtung"
To me Hebrew is a beautiful language especially when it is sung. I never had a favorite singer until I started listening to a female singer called Sarit Hadad singing in Hebrew. She has such a beautiful voice and makes the language sound so beautiful. I have a youtube http://www.youtube.com/rtalbot7 account which is made up of mostly her songs in Hebrew which I have placed in my favorites folder. I love her voice.
Randy
Randy
I forgot about the music. Hebrew doesn't sound so harsh when it's sung.
Randy, Note that Sarit Hadad uses a slight oriental style while singing. she rolls her "R" and thrills her voice like oriental singers do. note also that She tends to refine "ch" appearing at the end of the word, these could explain why her singing may sound more melodious and less harsh to a non Hebrew speaker. However, if you listen to Israeli rock songs or just "Israeli style" (not oriental I mean), you'll probably get the same impression of harshness and unflowigness.
take for example a new song of "Knesiyat HaSechel", a very famous Israeli rock band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yrePVKlhy0
take for example a new song of "Knesiyat HaSechel", a very famous Israeli rock band:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yrePVKlhy0
Russian "kh", whatever it means, does not sound like Spanish jota or like Hebrew H sound
Is Hebrew mutual inelligible with Aramaic and Arabic? <<
Not that much.
Not that much.
<<Is Hebrew mutual inelligible with Aramaic and Arabic?>>
Well, I'm a native Hebrew speaker, and I can tell you that I don't understand Aramic and Arabic at all when I hear or read them.
However, as to Mishnaic Aramic, which I suppose is slightly different from the one spoken today in some parts of Syria, it has considerably influenced Hebrew, and many Aramic words were absorbed into it. Nonetheless, When I read Aramic texts, I can't understand it unless I use a rabbinic translation.
As to Arabic, it has influenced a lot the Hebrew slang and day-to-day rude language. A part from that, there are many similar words in both languages. I suppose that for me, trying to understand Arabic, is not much different from an english native speaker who tries to understand German or Dutch.
Well, I'm a native Hebrew speaker, and I can tell you that I don't understand Aramic and Arabic at all when I hear or read them.
However, as to Mishnaic Aramic, which I suppose is slightly different from the one spoken today in some parts of Syria, it has considerably influenced Hebrew, and many Aramic words were absorbed into it. Nonetheless, When I read Aramic texts, I can't understand it unless I use a rabbinic translation.
As to Arabic, it has influenced a lot the Hebrew slang and day-to-day rude language. A part from that, there are many similar words in both languages. I suppose that for me, trying to understand Arabic, is not much different from an english native speaker who tries to understand German or Dutch.
I don't like the sound of it. The sephardic way (or even palestinians speaking hebrew) is much more pleasant than this germanized hebrew.
The only correct way of speaking Hebrew is the Yemenite way. They have retained all the original gutturals Biblical Hebrew had. They're true Semites in the linguistic sense.
"The Sana'ani Hebrew pronunciation (used by the majority) has been indirectly critiqued by Saadia Gaon since it contains the Hebrew letters jimmel and guf, which he rules is incorrect."