Thursday, 24 June 2010

Modern Hebrew Vs. Biblical Hebrew

Although generally speaking my ability to learn Modern Hebrew is added by my really rather good Biblical Hebrew there are times when it is not a help and may even be a hindrance. For example when I am struggling to form a sentence and pluck a word from the Tanach (Hebrew Bible) or the Siddur (daily prayer book), this can be wrong and funny enough to make my tutor laugh out loud this happened when i wanted to say return, or more prosaically came back and I used the word HaShoove, this did indeed make the native Hebrew speakers laugh, although I should say that they know what I meant. I caused more confussion with PoKard for visit, again after a short pause they know what I meant.
There are also constructions of the Verb that seem to have fallen by the wayside. I think the effect of all of this on my Hebrew must indeed be funny, kind of like a six year old who suddenly switches into Shaskpirian English. It does cut the both ways as i find things like Toshafot meaning side orders, rather than comments on Rashi's comments on the Talmud rather funny too.

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