Re: Upsilon

From: Stephen C Carlson (scarlso1@osf1.gmu.edu)
Date: Fri Feb 02 1996 - 15:25:09 EST


David Moore wrote:
>On Fri, 2 Feb 1996, Stephen C Carlson wrote:
>> As for DAUID, Greek at the time did not have a 'v' sound, so upsilon
>> (or beta) would be the closest sound to represent it. This does not
>> necessarily imply that upsilon had that sound, just that it was the
>> closest.
>
> It is probably good to note that the Hebrew waw, which figures in the
>Hebrew of "David," may not have originally represented the "v" sound.
>Gesenius, in his grammar, classifies the waw as "sonant" rather than
>labial or labio-dental (p. 35).

Waw was probably a sonant, or else the plene spelling in Hebrew will make
little sense, as well as the sound of the digamma. The only issue, of
course, is when waw came to be a vav, so to speak, and I have no additional
information about that. In either case, it is important to note that DAUID
does not necessarily represent the exact pronunciation of the Hebrew, just
a close one within the constraints of Greek phonology.

Stephen Carlson

-- 
Stephen C. Carlson, George Mason University School of Law, Patent Track, 4LE
scarlso1@osf1.gmu.edu              : Poetry speaks of aspirations, and songs
http://osf1.gmu.edu/~scarlso1/     : chant the words.  -- Shujing 2.35


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