The question is, to what extent can modern Hebrew speakers understand the written Torah?
How does modern Hebrew sound to non-Hebrew speakers?
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<<The question is, to what extent can modern Hebrew speakers understand the written Torah? >>
It is fairly understandable to native modern Hebrew speakers, though many words are no more in use and biblical syntax is extremely different and far more semitic.
I believe that for native Hebrew speakers, the biblical Hebrew is less understandable than Shakespearean English for today English speakers, but I'm not sure about that.
It is fairly understandable to native modern Hebrew speakers, though many words are no more in use and biblical syntax is extremely different and far more semitic.
I believe that for native Hebrew speakers, the biblical Hebrew is less understandable than Shakespearean English for today English speakers, but I'm not sure about that.
>>It is fairly understandable to native modern Hebrew speakers, though many words are no more in use and biblical syntax is extremely different and far more semitic. <<
That's interesting. I imagine the reason might be that most of the original modern Hebrew speakers, who consciously 'revived' the language were native speakers of different Indo-European languages, so the way they spoke was automatically influenced by Indo-European grammar. There must be tons of linguistic studies on the development of modern Hebrew - it's such a unique case.
As to the original question, I do like the sound of Hebrew. To my ears, it does sound a bit harsh and somehow 'masculine' (because of the gutturals, I guess), but at the same time very musical and rhythmic - almost like percussion sometimes.
That's interesting. I imagine the reason might be that most of the original modern Hebrew speakers, who consciously 'revived' the language were native speakers of different Indo-European languages, so the way they spoke was automatically influenced by Indo-European grammar. There must be tons of linguistic studies on the development of modern Hebrew - it's such a unique case.
As to the original question, I do like the sound of Hebrew. To my ears, it does sound a bit harsh and somehow 'masculine' (because of the gutturals, I guess), but at the same time very musical and rhythmic - almost like percussion sometimes.
<<That's interesting. I imagine the reason might be that most of the original modern Hebrew speakers, who consciously 'revived' the language were native speakers of different Indo-European languages, so the way they spoke was automatically influenced by Indo-European grammar>>
I can give you a simple example that shows what I mean:
Let's take the following sentence: "Moses went to the mountain."
In modern Hebrew we use the same sytax as in English: "Moshe (=Moses) halach (+went - past tense) La-Har (=to the mountain)."
In Biblical Hebrew they used a coordinating conjunction + verb in future tense to describe an action occured in the past. The same sentence would be then like that: Va-yelech (=and he will/shall go) Moshe (=Moses) el (=to) Ha-har (=the mountain).
Although syntax is extremely different, every Israeli would understand the biblical sentence.
I can give you a simple example that shows what I mean:
Let's take the following sentence: "Moses went to the mountain."
In modern Hebrew we use the same sytax as in English: "Moshe (=Moses) halach (+went - past tense) La-Har (=to the mountain)."
In Biblical Hebrew they used a coordinating conjunction + verb in future tense to describe an action occured in the past. The same sentence would be then like that: Va-yelech (=and he will/shall go) Moshe (=Moses) el (=to) Ha-har (=the mountain).
Although syntax is extremely different, every Israeli would understand the biblical sentence.
Thanks for this illustration. I imagine the Torah example, while understandable, will sound 'archaic' to modern Hebrew speakers (which, of course, is kind of 'appropriate' for a religious text). Interestingly, albeit in a shorter time, Hebrew seems to have developed in ways similar to modern Romance languages, which have also lost the flexible word order that is still there in Latin.
When I watched 'Noddle' a Hebrew movie, I thought it's French... But actually it was Hebrew!
<<When I watched 'Noddle' a Hebrew movie, I thought it's French... But actually it was Hebrew!>>
What you say sounds a bit weird. As one who speaks both I can tell you that the sounds of these languages are so different. French is extremely nasal and has far more complex vowel system. Hebrew isn't nasal at all and has a very simple vowel system consisted of only 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u). Similarities could be found in the way that both Israelis and Frech pronouce "R".
What you say sounds a bit weird. As one who speaks both I can tell you that the sounds of these languages are so different. French is extremely nasal and has far more complex vowel system. Hebrew isn't nasal at all and has a very simple vowel system consisted of only 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u). Similarities could be found in the way that both Israelis and Frech pronouce "R".
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