6 replies to this topic

[Kevin Soars]

I am interested in the Accordance Ross Hebrew Programme and would be delighted to hear about it from anyone who has used it. I have just finished using "The First Hebrew Primer" by Simon, Resnikoff & Motzkin (which I found to be a real treasure - the essentials of the grammar without being overwhelmed with vocabulary) and wonder if Ross would be a step upwards or would I be better going for the Accordance versions of Gesenius or Waltke/O'Connor (which I hope to purchase later anyway). I would like a step upwards from "The First Hebrew Primer" but, at the same time, something that is going to help me later on as my Hebrew hopefully improves. (By the way, for anyone like myself who is an absolute beginner in Hebrew, and does not have a teacher, I cannot recommend too highly "The First Hebrew Primer" as their first textbook.)

Looking forward to hearing from someone,

Kevin (Soars)

[Alistair]

I cannot comment on the others but I have a print copy of the Gesenius (GKC) and it is not a paedgogical grammar. It is a reference grammar, and I therefore believe it will be of zero help to you.

For studying and actually learning Hebrew I am familiar with Weingreen, Lambdin, and Davidson. Weingreen and Davidson could be considered "dated". Lambdin is a relative newcomer, but well-established. The coursebook I used at university was a spiral-bound booklet published by the Univeristy of Sheffield, but I do not remember the name of the author. (Temporary mental block—at least I remember some Hebrew!)

A friend has used Kelley as her main textbook, which she rates highly, and has also used Seow.

When teaching I have created my own notes, borrowing liberally from all and sundry.

HTH

Edited by Alistair, 31 July 2006 - 10:50 AM.

[Alistair]

Secondly, get a teacher.

Of course you can study and learn Hebrew on your own, but in my experience the difficulties, problems and challenges associated with learning the biblical languages in solitary confinement quickly lead to frustration and disappointment.

If you believe learning Hebrew is worth your time, then it is worth your money. You may be the rare and exceptional student, with an innate gift for languages, a passion for learning, unique insight and understanding, brilliant and insightful, and with an inflexible determination to keep it up. Even so, the experience and knowledge of a teacher is invaluable.

Besides, retired Hebrew teachers could use the cash!

[Jim S]

Gesenius and Waltke-O"Connor are very fine reference grammars. I have Gesenius in print but I can use it only with a magnifying glass since the vowel pointings are unreadable. Waltke is more readable (literally and figuratively) as an Accordance module. Both are not introductory grammars but are very useful to be on hand when you get stuck while reading the Hebrew bible. I recently got Jouon-Muraoka's grammar in print (I would have gotten it from Oak Tree if it were available as a module, but it's not) and it is the easiest-to-read reference (probably, the best of the three).
I am in the same boat as you, and biblical Hebrew teachers are unheard of here in Manila (unless one is in a seminary, probably) and even books on learning Hebrew are hard to come by. The one book I'm glad to have bought during a trip is Kittel, Hoffer and Wright's Biblical Hebrew (Yale University Press). I've had Kelley's Biblical Hebrew for years but it stayed on the shelf. Now it is finally readable after Kittel. Kittel makes you "love" learning Hebrew, and makes you read Hebrew phrases and sentences from the Bible right from the start (a good incentive to learning). While you eventually come to paradigms, you come to them in natural way, as an extension of the learning process. It comes with a supplement of exercises (which I don't have) and audio cd's of vocabulary and mnemonic songs (the pronunciations, though, are decidedly American compared to native Hebrew speakers (if there still are native Hebrew speakers). The second cd is a treasure. It has the Psalms sung beautifully, and that cd alone makes the Audio bundle a worthwhile purchase. I have Ross as an Accordance module (which still has some typos), and together with Kelley, I found that that it is more useful after Kittel, to summarize and collate points that lie scattered in your mind after going through Kittel, because Ross is organized in the typical way. I also recently bought Russell Fuller and Choi's Invitation to Biblical Hebrew (Kregel) together with the supplementary exercises volume. I'm going through it right now, and it's even more helpful for the way it makes you understand the reason for every vowel point or construct, though you sometimes feel it was written by your "favorite" strict professor in school.
My suggestion is go for Kittel's grammar, then Ross or Fuller. Then go on, or consult at the same time, Jouon-Muraoka and Waltke. And of course, there's nothing like reading the Hebrew bible itself preferably in Accordance (I love it for it for its fonts and the way I can easily enlarge them). Look only at the glosses in the Instant Details box as a check on how you're doing.
From a fellow learner.

[jpkang]

I have Gesenius in print but I can use it only with a magnifying glass since the vowel pointings are unreadable.

Just a reminder that Gesenius is now available as an Accordance module, which means that you can search it as well as make the vowel pointings as large as you like!

Edited by jpkang, 01 August 2006 - 10:14 AM.

[Jim S]

Thanks, jp, for picking up the half-joke. But, seriously, the "enlarge" (aA) buttons on top of every frame is the one feature I often use most (It might be interesting to make a survey of the most used features on Accordance). Plus, when you reach each paradigm section in the Ross module, it's fun to figure out how many clicks on the A it takes before the final letter of a word drops to the second line.

[jpkang]

Thanks, jp, for picking up the half-joke. But, seriously, the "enlarge" (aA) buttons on top of every frame is the one feature I often use most (It might be interesting to make a survey of the most used features on Accordance). Plus, when you reach each paradigm section in the Ross module, it's fun to figure out how many clicks on the A it takes before the final letter of a word drops to the second line.

It sounds like you may not be using to full advantage the One Keyboard Shortcut You Absolutely Must Learn (or OKSYAML, as I like to abbreviate it), especially the Set Default feature!