In the Beginning: A Short History of the Hebrew Language

Joel Hoffman

Published by New York University Press 2004

In the Beginning

A Short History of the Hebrew Language

Joel Hoffman

https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9780814790908.001.0001

Overview
Contents

About this book

A highly entertaining history of the Hebrew language and its contributions to all languages. Very well written and charming.

Hebrew as a language is just over 3,000 years old, and the story of its alphabet is unique among the languages of the world. Hebrew set the stage for almost every modern alphabet, and was arguably the first written language simple enough for everyone, not just scribes, to learn, making it possible to make a written record available to the masses for the first time.
Written language has existed for so many years—since around 3500 BCE—that most of us take it for granted. But as Hoffman reveals in this entertaining and informative work, even the idea that speech can be divided into units called “words” and that these words can be represented with marks on a page, had to be discovered. As Hoffman points out, almost every modern system of writing descends from Hebrew; by studying the history of this language, we can learn a good deal about how we express ourselves today.
Hoffman follows and decodes the adventure that is the history of Hebrew, illuminating how the written record has survived, the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls and ancient translations, and attempts to determine how the language actually sounded. He places these developments into a historical context, and shows their continuing impact on the modern world.
This sweeping history traces Hebrew's development as one of the first languages to make use of vowels. Hoffman also covers the dramatic story of the rebirth of Hebrew as a modern, spoken language.
Packed with lively information about language and linguistics and history, In the Beginning is essential reading for both newcomers and scholars interested in learning more about Hebrew and languages in general.

Author / Editor information

Hoffman Joel :

Joel Hoffman lectures and teaches classes on biblical and rabbinic Hebrew and translation at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He is the head translator for Jewish Lights’ multi-volume prayerbook and commentary series, My People’s Prayerbook. He lives in the NYC area.

Reviews

Hoffman does a good job of pointing out the different traditions of biblical Hebrew that existed in antiquity.

Hoffman has a flair for explaining how languages work.

A fascinating account of the evolution of Hebrew as a language. Those interested in language are in for a delightful surprise.

[I]t is written in an energetic style with a commitment to exploring the evolution of Hebrew from ancient times to the present in ways that a broad audience can comprehend. It will be fortunate, indeed, if future efforts can achieve the commendable promise embodied in this volume’s title with the clarity and enthusiasm that fill its pages.

Those with a passion for Hebrew, linguistics and religious history will probably find much to captivate them

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	iv
List of Tables Publicly Available Download PDF	x
List of Figures Publicly Available Download PDF	xii
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	xiv
Part I Getting Started
Chapter 1 Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 2 Rules of the Game Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	7
Part II Antiquity
Chapter 3 Writing Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	13
Chapter 4 Magic Letters and the Name of God Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	39
Chapter 5 The Masoretes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
Chapter 6 Pronunciation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	81
Part III Moving On
Chapter 7 The Dead Sea Scrolls Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	119
Chapter 8 Dialects in the Bible Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
Chapter 9 Post-Biblical Hebrew Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	165
Part IV Now
Chapter 10 Modern Hebrew Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	185
Chapter 11 Keep Your Voice from Weeping Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	211
Part V Appendices
Appendix A More about the Rules of the Game Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	215
Appendix B Further Reading Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	229
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	245
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	251
About the Author Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	263

Language: English
Publisher: New York University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Keywords: delightful; lucid; history; worlds; oldest; languages

eBook

Published: August 1, 2004
ISBN: 9780814790908