Biblical languages & Septuagint

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BrianB
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Biblical languages & Septuagint

Post by BrianB »

Hello, I'm a new member, I just discovered textkit yesterday. I have recently become interested in Biblical languages, first in Hebrew and now also in Greek and Latin. I know a little Hebrew (I did a beginner's course a few years ago, but no more than that). I vaguely remember Latin classes in my schooldays, but I have never had a a Greek lesson in my life. If anyone else shares this interest, it would a pleasure to exchange information and opinions, making due allowance for my very limited knowledge of all three languages. .

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Re: Biblical languages & Septuagint

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Welcome to Textkit!

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ἑκηβόλος
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Re: Biblical languages & Septuagint

Post by ἑκηβόλος »

Hi BrianB
It may interest you to know that there are actually 4 languages in the Bible. Hebrew and Aramaic are the original languages of the Old Testament. The Septuagint is in Greek with occasional Hebrew loan words.

The New Testament is mostly in Greek, with a few dozen Latin (loan) words, and a sprinkling of Hebrew and Aramaic. The languages besides Greek have their sounds reduced to what was possible to be written in Greek alphabet.

Good luck with your Greek.
τί δὲ ἀγαθὸν τῇ πομφόλυγι συνεστώσῃ ἢ κακὸν διαλυθείσῃ;

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BrianB
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Re: Biblical languages & Septuagint

Post by BrianB »

Thank you! I believe there are occasional borrowings from other languages, as well, such as Pharaoh from Egyptian. I think I’ve read about occasional Persian words, though I don’t remember what they are.

Since you mention Aramaic, allow me to ask you a question. What is known about the pronunciation of the word golgolta? Does the stress fall on the final syllable? I’m familiar with the Hebrew gulgolet, but I have never met anyone who knows how to pronounce Aramaic.

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Re: Biblical languages & Septuagint

Post by ἑκηβόλος »

BrianB wrote: Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:08 am ... there are occasional borrowings from other languages, ... such as Pharaoh from Egyptian.

Since you mention Aramaic, allow me to ask you a question.
Actually, I am not the person to ask about Aramaic. You could ask me about any borrowings from Egyptian that you encounter. I only mention Aramaic as a commonplace.

I draw a distinction between Latin and the other languages you mention. There is a difference between borrowing a few words into Greek without any cultural context from a language as has happened with Persian etc., and borrowing / translating a system of government administration from Latin. No phrases of Latin like there are from Hebrew and Aramaic as such, but we know that the ἑκατοντάρχης of Matthew and Luke-Acts and the κεντυρίων of Mark are synonymous in Greek because they both refer to that rank in Latin, or although Latin colonia can translate the Greek ἀποικία, using κολωνία has specific connotations derived from Latin.
BrianB wrote: Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:08 am I have never met anyone who knows how to pronounce Aramaic.
If you have any Syrian Christian or observant Jewish friends or acquaintances they might have known how to. The language is read (and studied) in yeshivot, and it is used liturgically in Syrian / Syriac churches.
τί δὲ ἀγαθὸν τῇ πομφόλυγι συνεστώσῃ ἢ κακὸν διαλυθείσῃ;

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BrianB
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Re: Biblical languages & Septuagint

Post by BrianB »

Thanks again! I remember noticing that Mark explains to his readers that two lepta are equivalent to one quadrans, which seems a reasonable thing to do in a Gospel supposedly written in Rome, but then being surprised to discover that Matthew puts the same word in Jesus’ mouth in one of the sayings that follow the Sermon on the Mount.

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