Is there a Hebrew audio module with ancient pronunciation ?

[Λύχνις Δαν]

Hi ya,

 

  My understanding is that the two existing Hebrew audio modules Accordance offers (https://www.accordancebible.com/store/details/?pid=Hebrew%20Audio-OT and it's NT companion) are both modern pronunciation. Is this so ? If it's not please let me know. If it is, any suggestions as to where I can get audio recorded with a pronunciation that matches that described (and used, though only in snippets) in Basics of Biblical Hebrew by Pratico and Van Pelt, and would there be any interest in such a module for Acc ?

 

Thx

D

[Michel Gilbert]

Hi Daniel

Very quickly, from what I've gathered on the Forums, and could have guessed otherwise, yes, they use modern pronunciation. The Yemenite pronunciation will be closest, though not 100% consistent with BBH pronunciation. It distinguishes the six בגדכפת consonants (all six soft pronunciations without dageshes), pronounces ו as w, and always pronounces vocal shewa. There are a few peculiarities about pronouncing compound shewa, and some vowels.

Take a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6BCX4iQ2Gsto get started. I don't know if there is an entire HB; maybe the Torah has been done. I've been practising the ancient pronunciation for two decades, and I plan to offer some or all of the Bible one day. It didn't helped that I switched to modern Sephardic pronunciation for a decade in between those two decades.

Regards,

Michel
 

[Lester P. Bagley]

Thanks Daniel and Michel for reminding me of context. Having specialized in late Bronze to early Iron Age history I would love to just once hear "ancient pronunciations." 

Somehow I don't think Accordance will be offering that module any time soon 

[Michel Gilbert]

Can you clarify?

 

I think we're referring to a time when a more ancient pronunciation explains things like, for e.g., the LXX transliterated ע with γ, e.g., עזה is transliterated as Γάζα, "Gaza," e.g., Gen 10:19. And that reminds me, Daniel, in my haste I didn't mention that א  and ע are not silent in the Yemenite pronunciation, but pronounced as gutterals at the back of the throat, almost like the sound of incipient vomiting. 

 

Edit: . . . and to a time arguably much earlier. Have to go now.

 

(Double edit: This Editor gives me fits sometimes)

Edited November 16, 2017 by Michel Gilbert

[Λύχνις Δαν]

@Lester, perhaps banging ancient bronze artifacts together would at least allow you to hear ancient objects sounding, but I suspect curators frown on the practice

 

@Michel, Thanx for that - I did run across Yemenite and thought it might be close but I didn't know how close. I don't necessarily need that much of it, but as I study by myself I find the recordings helpful to prevent developing the ability to speak intelligibly only to myself.

 

thx

D