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 Hebrew language : Hebrew 

Hebrew (I'vrit, עברית) is a Semitic language. For two-and-a-half-thousand years Hebrew was used only for study of the Bible and Mishnah, ceremony, and prayer, but it was reborn as a spoken language during the 20th century, replacing Arabic, Ladino, Yiddish and other languages of the Jewish diaspora as the spoken language of the majority of the Jewish people living in Israel.
Hebrew is the official language of the state of Israel.

Subjects

Writing conventions

The Hebrew language is normally written in the Hebrew alphabet. Due to publishing difficulties, and the unfamiliarity of many readers with the alphabet, there are many ways of transcribing Hebrew into Roman letters. The only method which is strictly accurate is the International Phonetic Alphabet. It is used (in a simplified ASCII form) in the section concerned with Phonology, to describe the sounds of the Hebrew language. However, the IPA is quite obscure and redundant when it comes to transcribing the words of a single language to a general audience. Therefore the system that this article will feature will try to restore the sound of Hebrew, and at least some orthographic pecularities. The system comes down to the following:

  • The letter tsadeh (צ) is transcribed by "c" so that it could be distinguished from other combinations of /t/ and /s/.
  • The letter a'in (ע) with various vowels is transcribed as a', e', i', o' and u'.
  • The letter shin (ש) is transcribed by "sh".
  • Both the letter tav (ת) and the letter tet (ט) are transcribed by "t".
  • The letter he (ה) at the end of a word, which stands for feminine gender, is transcribed by "ah" (it is read /a/)
  • The letter quf (ק) is transcribed by "q" (it is read /k/).
  • Single-letter prepositions and the definite article are separated with a dash (-) from their subject.
  • Stresses and schwas are not marked since the stresses are not pronounced, and the schwa's locations are apparent.
  • The vowels are always written.

See Common phrases in different languages

External links


Joy of a confessional which relieves the sick heart.html">heart Knew the lie.html">lie of silence to be as evil as the lie of speech Lonely we come into the world.html">world.html">world.html">world, and lonely we go out of it No news--no trouble.html">trouble People who are clever never think of trying to be Rack of secrecy, the cruelest inquisition of life Sardonic pleasure in the miseries of the world Thanked him in her heart for the things he had left unsaid There is something humiliating in even an undeserved injury War is cruelty, and none can make it gentle What fools there are in the world All are hurt some time Duplicity, for which she might never have to ask forgiveness Frenchman, volatile, moody, chivalrous, unreasonable I love.html">love that love in which I married him Lighted candles in hollowed pumpkins Nature twists in back, or anywhere, gets a twist in's brain too Some are hurt in one way and some in another LANE HAD NO TURNING, by G. Parker, v2 [GP#65][gp65w10.txt]6138 But a wounded spirit.html">spirit who can bear.html">bear You--you all were so ready to suspect Capered at the mirror, and dusted her face with oatmeal No trouble like that which comes between parent and child She had not much brains, but she had some shrewdness The laughter of a ripe summer was upon the land Turned the misery of the world into a game, and grinned at it LANE HAD NO TURNING, by G. Parker, v4 [GP#67][gp67w10.txt]6140 We'll lave the past behind us LANE HAD NO TURNING, by Parker, Complete [GP#68][gp68w10.txt]6141 Ah, let it be soon! Ah, let him die soon! But a wounded spirit who can bear .

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