Israel – In the annals of language, the revival of Hebrew counts as a singular achievement, a feat unequalled in all the millennia that have stuttered past since humans first dispensed with grunting and began to speak.
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“I don’t know if there’s any other language not spoken for so long and then revived as a spoken language,” says Ken Frieden, a professor of Hebraic studies at the University of Syracuse on sabbatical in Israel.
Little more than 100 years have passed since Hebrew first began to rediscover its tongue. Last spoken in Old Testament times, it now is firmly established as the primary language of about 5 million Jewish Israelis, not to mention some 2 million additional Hebrew speakers scattered through the world.
The once-dead language possesses a rich, modern vocabulary, extensive enough to support a 16-volume dictionary, with an even more comprehensive work on the way.
Its speakers can swear, sing, argue, mate, conduct wars, negotiate peace treaties, publish newspapers and carry out any of the countless other human activities that profit from the use of words.
This, in any language, would constitute a mouthful. In the case of Hebrew, however, the transformation is extraordinary. [torontostar]
From a frum point of view, obviously, the connection between Israeli Hebrew and loshon hakodesh leaves a lot to be desired, in many ways. However, from a secular perspective, it is certainly quite interesting that such a thing could be made to occur. If, as in anon 10:20’s example, another ancient language (such as Latin) were revived, albeit with an updated vocabulary, syntax, and pronunciation, that would still be quite a feat.
The Zionists did not bring back Lashon HaKodesh. What they did do, in the process of creating “Hebrew”, was to corrupt and desecrate Lashon HaKodesh by adding in all sorts of nivul peh, which does not exist in Lashon haKODESH. Their havarah is way off; their dikduk is not quite there; there are many differences between “modern hebrew” and, lihavdil, Lashon HaaKodesh.
Saying the Zionists reviced Lashon HaKodesh is almost like saying that the Quakers on the Mayflower brought Judaism to America’s shores. Not quite – they actually brought Christianity, which, of course, has some seemingly-minor but, in fact, very significant differences.
Incidentally, if you bought some island somewhere and sought to revive classical Christianity by speaking Aramaic (or, say, Latin), it wouldn’t be considered a world-class feat. Neither should this, then.
The (Hebrew) language of the seforim is not conversational language therefore is no proof that R. Yehuda HaNasi would not understand. Anyway, in Meah Shearim, as far as I know, it’s Yerushalmi Yiddish!
Anon 114
Idid notsay that biblical hebrew was not the basis of modern hebrew, all I said was if you examine common usage of Modern Hebrew ie syntax and grammarn it is hardly related. The same can be said about the vocabulary of Modern Hebrew. If R Yehuda Hanasi would walk the streets of Yerushalayim today he would understand the rabbinical Hebrew of the seforim published in Meah Shearim than classes in Hebrew University!!Its not the same language as Loshon Hakodesh its something else!!
Three comments are in order!
1) Vus vellen de (Emesdige) Sakmerer Chasidem Zugn?!
2) Anon. 12:58PM. Modern Hebrew is a beautiful, rich, intelligent language, but it is NOT Lashon Hakodesh!
3) Anon. 1:16 PM. …Modern Hebrew has little connection w. Biblical Hebrew… Furthermore, English h. more connctn. w. Ltn. thn. MH w. Bib. H. …. …I disagree w. your statements. Modern Hebrew is based 95% on Tanach and Mishnaic/Talmudic Culture.
The expounder of Modern Hebrew (Eliezer Ben Yehuda) was very knowledgable in Tanach and Mishna/Talmud but, unfortunately, had no Yiras Shamayim and Emunah in HKB”H.
Did you know that Hebrew is the source of all world languages? Check out http://www.edenics.org
Modern Hebrew has little connection with Biblical Hebrew (5000+ years ago) or even Mishnaic Hebrew (2000 years ago). I would argue that present day English syntax and grammar is more consistant with Latin, French and German than present modern Hebrew with Biblical or even Mishnaic Hebrew of 2 thousand years ago.
thank you zinoism for reviving lashon hakodesh!