Classical Hebrew is a Semitic language of the same “family” as Aramaic and Arabic. This module continues the study of its vocabulary, grammar and syntax begun in module RT2104, and allows students to begin to apply this knowledge to the study and translation of chapters from the Hebrew Bible.

(Module RT2104 is a pre-requisite for RT2105.)

At the end of the module a student should be able minimally to translate into English portions of the prescribed text with a good level of accuracy and readability. Typically a student should be able to read these portions with an accurate understanding of most of the grammatical forms and syntactical constructions and to translate them into English.

Students knowledge of the syntax, grammar and vocabulary of Classical Hebrew should be enhanced.

Students should be familiar with the use of Hebrew grammars and dictionaries.

Students should be able to study and translate texts from the Hebrew Bible.

Students should have an appreciation of the challenges and uncertainties of translation from an ancient language.

Students should appreciate the importance of studying a text in its original language for a proper understanding of that text and of those who produced it.

Class sessions of grammar study and text study with a great deal of student participation through oral translation and group discussion. Students are required to prepare in advance for translation in class and to revise the text studied in their own time, so as to be at ease with it by the time of assessment.

 Knowledge and Understanding

Increased knowledge of vocabulary, syntax and grammar of a Semitic language.

Understanding of the presuppositions, problems and possibilities of translation.

Intellectual Skills:

Ability to analyse and translate.

Close text study.

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

Language study is a necessary tool for the better understanding of ancient texts relevant to religions and it informs approaches employed in the subject, such as history and anthropology. The skill (which is transferable) specific to this module concerns philological study.

Transferable Skills:

Dealing with a language other than English, and of a different language “family”.

Independent working, using the skills gained, and individual oral presentation.

Understanding of the relation of a language to the culture from which it speaks.

“Close-reading”

The ability to make use of reference books and dictionaries.

Assessment is by means of a two hour examination during the Spring semester assessment period, during which students will be required to translate, without the aid of dictionaries, portions of those texts studied in class.

Study of grammar not covered in the pre-requisite module (RT2104 Introduction to Biblical Hebrew) and in relation to study of set texts.

Such texts as are assigned by the teacher annually for class study, to be taken from the Hebrew Bible.

Texts from Tanakh as supplied by the class teacher.

A dictionary such as Langenscheidt’s pocket Hebrew-English Dictionary of the Bible

(Other fuller lexical aids are available in the Library)