An Annotated Answer Key to Alger Johns's A Short Grammar of Biblical Aramaic

113 Pages·2009·10.56 MB·English

by  James N. Jumper

AN ANNOTATED ANSWER KEY
TO ALGER JOHNS'S
A SHORT GRAMMAR
OF
BIBLICAL ARAMAIC

AN ANNOTATED ANSWER KEY
TO ALGER JOHNS'S
A SHORT GRAMMAR
OF
BIBLICAL ARAMAIC
by
James N. Jumper
AN D R E WS UNIVERSITY PR E SS
BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN
Copyright ©2003 by Andrews University Press
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Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1700
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner without written permission from the publisher except in the case of
brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
ISBN 1-883925-43-6
Printed in the United States of America
07 06 05 04 03 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jumper, James N., 1968-
An annotated answer key to Alger Johns's A short grammar of biblical
Aramaic / James N. Jumper,
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 1-883925-43-6
1. Aramaic language-Grammar-Examinations, questions, etc. I. Johns,
Alger F. Short grammar of biblical Aramaic. II. Title.
PJ5213.J6 Suppl.
492'.29-dc22
2003065249
Project Director Ronald Alan Knott
Project Editor Deborah L. Everhart
Copy Editor Leona G. Running
Data and Clerical Assistant Eike A. Miiller
Text Designer and Typesetter James N. Jumper
To
Michael and Elijah

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ix
Lesson L Phonology of Biblical Aramaic 1
Lesson II. Nouns and Adjectives 3
Lesson III. Independent Personal Pronouns and Suffixes on Nouns.... 7
Lesson IV. Other Pronouns 12
Lesson V. The Verbal System: The Perfect 16
Lesson VI. The Verbal System: The Imperfect, the Infinitive, Etc 19
Lesson VII. Classes of Nouns 24
Lesson VIII. The Derived Active Conjugations 29
Lesson IX. The Passive and Reflexive Conjugations 34
Lesson X. Laryngeal Verbs 39
Lesson XI. Pe Nun, Pe Yodh, and Pe Aleph Verbs 45
Lesson XIL Hollow Verbs 49
Lesson XIII. Geminate Verbs 53
Lesson XIV. Lamedh He Verbs 57
Lesson XV. Other Doubly Weak and Irregular Verbs 62
Lesson XVI. Verbal Suffixes: With the Perfect 66
Lesson XVII. Verbal Suffixes: With the Imperfect, the Infinitive, Etc... 72
Lesson XVIIL Noun Types 79
Lesson XIX. Similar Noun Classes 85
Lesson XX. The Numerals 90
Works Cited 95
Scripture Index 97

PREFACE
The genesis of this project occurred at Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary during an introductory course in Aramaic which I took while
pursuing my Master of Divinity. Our textbook was A Short Grammar of
Biblical Aramaic by Alger F. Johns (Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews
University Press, 1972). Throughout that semester we covered all of Johns's
grammar and exercises, all the Aramaic in the Old Testament, a papyri
from Elephantine, and part of the Targum of Genesis. At such a brisk pace,
it became apparent to me that a companion volume to Johns's grammar
might prove very beneficial. From the student's perspective, a key could
have helped with exam review as well as with homework preparation and
comprehension.
The real impetus for an annotated key, though, would not come until
years later. After I had pursued Akkadian, Ugaritic, and finally Syriac, it
became clear that the difficulty was not so much in acquiring a new language,
but in retaining it. Thus, I realized that many students, pastors, and even
teachers desired aids to help them retain their quickly eroding language
skills. Therefore I began working on this project.
Classroom acquisition and review are only two pieces of the picture,
though. There is a third class of students who would benefit from this type
of work—those taking Aramaic as independent study. Since such students
do not have the advantage of consistent instructor feedback, an annotated
key, in some regards, works to reinforce the lessons of the central points of
the grammar.
Much of this key is self-explanatory in its design. Each sentence is
translated into English in a fairly literal style. Various important aspects of
the translation are footnoted beneath it using standard numbers.
Nonetheless, more detailed comments should be made about its design.
Every work has its limitations, and this work, despite its current length,
is no different. One minor limitation of the key is that it does not include
the exercises themselves, and thus forces students to jump back and forth
between the grammar and key. Unfortunately, space limitations are always
a real obstacle.
Another possible limitation is that inherent in the translation task itself.
How should each exercise be rendered into English: more literally or more
idiomatically? It seems to me that erring to the side of literalness is more
desirable for beginners in a language. It is important for students to be
IX