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January 9, 2008

More Abnormal Interest in the Hebrew Paragogic Nun

Those with truly abnormal interests may recall Charles' post at Awilum on a paper by Steven Kaufman. I responded to Charles' post with a few of my own observations. Now Peter Bekins at Balshanut has taken up this issue. Peter has a very good summary of Kaufman's paper. Give his post a read.

If there is evidence within the Hebrew Bible for early scribal practice, scholars will find it in phenomena like the use of the paragogic nun. Until or unless we have direct evidence for pre-exilic Hebrew scribal practice and not just a few inscriptions, the only viable grounds for discussion are philological and philological narrowly defined at that. Sure scholars must also apply philological methodologies to the little epigraphic material we have to tease out what ever they have to contribute to the discussion. But no amount of exegesis, no matter how well done, can address the hard questions of early scribal activity.

This reminds me, I need to update my blog roll.

Reference:

Kaufman, Steven A. "Paragogic nun in Biblical Hebrew: Hypercorrection as a Clue to a Lost Scribal practice," Solving Riddles and Untying Knots; Biblical, Epigraphic, and Semitic Studies in Honor of Jonas C. Greenfield, Zevit, Ziony, et al eds, Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns, 1995, 95-99

Posted by Duane Smith at January 9, 2008 10:45 AM | Read more on Hebrew Bible |

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