Israel > The JTF Hebrew Club
More than one Hebrew
Zelhar:
--- Quote from: rhayat1 on January 28, 2010, 08:27:00 PM ---
--- Quote from: Edward on January 28, 2010, 03:00:39 PM ---This is very interesting, I always thought that the Israeli accent does not represent the true ancient Hebrew. It sounds more like the Dutch accent.. especially their Khet and Shin.
--- End quote ---
Actually the shin is one of the few letters that have not been altered much over time (if at all).
I think it's worth noting that Eli'ezer ben Yehuda was all for restoring Hebrew to its former glory as a true Semitic language. He borrowed heavily from Arabic and favored the mideastern accent. Unfortunately, his opinion was not heeded in this matter and the vast majority of those with power and influence we Ashkenazim, amongst whom very few had either the will or the knowledge to restore Hebrew as a Mideastern language. For a long time, it was not permitted for anybody who spoke Hebrew with a Mideastern dialect to speak on television as an announcer. In a sense, there was a campaign to destroy Mideastern Hebrew - much as there is a campaign to destroy Southern English here in the U.S. As for radio, they did allow traces of mideastern Hebrew there - but not much. In schools, the children were taught only European Hebrew. Though there were (are?) societies for the preservation of the 'Ayin (for example), it is an uphill struggle partly because Israelis, by and large, hate Arabs and anything associated with them; hence, they do not want their language sounding anything like Arabic. They would rather it sound like German. Go figure. As for my experiences in Israel with Hebrew, I could tell you stories...
--- End quote ---
I don't know where you take your information from. For years the radio broadcasters of "Kol Israel" have been keeping with very strict and correct pronunciation, the Ayin was pronounced like Ayin as it should, the Resh was pronounced with rolled tongued. Listen to the veteran news reader Dan Kaner who is steal around:
Zelhar:
Here is more from Dan Kaner:
rhayat1:
Not bad - relatively speaking. Much better than most Israelis but still not authentic old-time Hebrew. His qof and kaf sound the same. His waw sounds just like a veth. He makes no distinction between gimel and ghimel (without a dagesh - same for taw and thaw, daleth and dhaleth). Of course I can't blame him; if he spoke real, proper, Hebrew the vast majority of Israelis would not even recognize it so compromise he must. It would be nice is most Israelis spoke like him; it would sound so much better. Then, little by little, maybe they could learn the other details.
Edward:
Then according to what you say, the true authentic old-time Hebrew language sounds like Arabic..?
rhayat1:
--- Quote from: Edward on January 30, 2010, 09:26:36 PM ---Then according to what you say, the true authentic old-time Hebrew language sounds like Arabic..?
--- End quote ---
It would sound like Arabic to the untrained ear. And the reason I say so is that I have plenty of evidence - which I'd be happy to share if you'd like.
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