Study of The Hebrew Language - Jewish Scholars of Hebrew

Jewish Scholars of Hebrew

The beginnings of the study of Hebrew are found in the Talmud and Midrash, which have some grammatical notes. The Masoretes continued the study as they fixed the text and vocalization of the Hebrew Bible. Under the influence of the Arab grammarians, Rabbi Saadia Gaon (tenth century) made the Jewish study of Hebrew grammar almost scientific. Later Jewish grammarians include David Qimhi (known as the Radak), Abraham ibn Ezra, and Judah ben David Hayyuj.

Eliezer Ben Yehuda is credited by many as being almost single-handedly responsible for the Zionist movement's revitalization of Hebrew as a modern spoken language, although in his book "Language in Time of Revolution" the Israeli linguist and literature researcher Benjamin Harshav diminishes Ben-Yehuda's role and attributes the success of the revival to a wider movement in the Jewish society.

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