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Hebrew root search for shem


Charles Grebe

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Hi,

 

I'm trying to do a root search for shem in Malachi. To do this I right clicked on the last word in Mal 3:16 and selected "search for"/"root". In the search box I get [suffix] (which isn't problem, I can delete that) but the root it gives me is 2 nuns. When I search for that I naturally get all kinds of results. Also when I roll over the word shem I get (ננ), i.e. 2 nuns, for the root. Is this a mistake or a code for something?

 

thx

Charles

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I believe this was conscious decision on part of the person who designed the root database. I believe the double nun indicates no root or contested root.

Edited by James Tucker
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Actually nun nun means that the root is not known, and lamed lamed means it's a foreign word (loazit). We had to come up with some "words" that would never be confused with an actual root, to designate the words for which neither BDB nor HALOT seemed to identify a root.

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Ha, ha -- "loazit" is what Rashi uses and is medieval French (if I remember correctly).

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I hate to correct Dr. Holmstedt, but it comes from Hebrew, a psalm that is sung at each Passover seder:

 

בְּצֵ֣את יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם בֵּ֥ית יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב מֵעַ֥ם לֹעֵֽז

 

לֹעֵֽז loʿez לעז lʿz Verb qal part masc sing abs to talk unintelligibly (Adjunct)

When Israel came out of Egypt— the house of Jacob from a people who spoke a foreign language— Psa 114:1 HCSB

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James, we used HALOT as the primary source, and BDB only as a secondary.

 

I remember now that the LL also stood for Loan word, just as NN for Not known.

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Helen, you're right. I was confusing that word (and a very particular humorous episode reading Rashi with a professor long ago) with another funny episode in which we *did* struggle with Rashi's use of older French.

 

I certainly deserve correction. But I'm still chuckling anyway.

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One way to remember LO'EZ definition is to view לעז is an acronym for lashon (ל) am (ע) zar (ז) = language of a foreign nation

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Oh, yes! That was part of the joke we were laughing about. (It's been nearly twenty years, but now the memory is slowly filling in.)

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