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Chapter 5. Prescriptive activity in Modern Hebrew

  • Uri Mor
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Usage-Based Studies in Modern Hebrew
This chapter is in the book Usage-Based Studies in Modern Hebrew

Abstract

This chapter surveys prescriptive activity and discourse in Modern Hebrew from historical and sociolinguistic perspectives. The first prescriptive efforts in the pre-Mandate period (up to 1918) were part of an intensive language planning process aimed at creating a uniform functional national language based on classical Hebrew sources. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the nationalistic tone of public discourse in Israel increased, and with it prescriptive activity, up until the 1970s. At a very early stage in the formation of the speech community, even prior to World War 1, two types of ideal (hegemonic) Hebrew began to emerge: institutional (planned), reflecting a nationalistic and puristic stance grounded in the Jewish past, and native (unplanned), reflecting a contrasting anti-institutional stance. Both types are still active in contemporary public discourse in Israel, and together constitute a complex approach to prescriptivism and the concept of correct language.

Abstract

This chapter surveys prescriptive activity and discourse in Modern Hebrew from historical and sociolinguistic perspectives. The first prescriptive efforts in the pre-Mandate period (up to 1918) were part of an intensive language planning process aimed at creating a uniform functional national language based on classical Hebrew sources. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the nationalistic tone of public discourse in Israel increased, and with it prescriptive activity, up until the 1970s. At a very early stage in the formation of the speech community, even prior to World War 1, two types of ideal (hegemonic) Hebrew began to emerge: institutional (planned), reflecting a nationalistic and puristic stance grounded in the Jewish past, and native (unplanned), reflecting a contrasting anti-institutional stance. Both types are still active in contemporary public discourse in Israel, and together constitute a complex approach to prescriptivism and the concept of correct language.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of authors vii
  4. Acknowledgements ix
  5. Transcription and Coding. Transcription, transliteration, Hebrew-specific coding xi
  6. Introduction 1
  7. Part I. General background
  8. Chapter 1. Setting Modern Hebrew in space, time, and culture 19
  9. Chapter 2. Historical overview of Modern Hebrew 27
  10. Chapter 3. Genetic affiliation 41
  11. Chapter 4. Sociolinguistics of Modern Hebrew 51
  12. Chapter 5. Prescriptive activity in Modern Hebrew 97
  13. Chapter 6. Notes on Modern Hebrew phonology and orthography 131
  14. Part II. Morpho-lexicon
  15. Chapter 7. Inflection 147
  16. Chapter 8. Derivation 203
  17. Chapter 9. Parts of speech categories in the lexicon of Modern Hebrew 265
  18. Chapter 10. Voice distinctions 331
  19. Chapter 11. Nominalizations 375
  20. Part III. Syntax
  21. Chapter 12. Agreement alternations in Modern Hebrew 421
  22. Chapter 13. Transitivity and valence 465
  23. Chapter 14. Genitive ( smixut ) constructions in Modern Hebrew 507
  24. Chapter 15. Impersonal and pseudo-impersonal constructions 539
  25. Chapter 16. Negation in Modern Hebrew 583
  26. Chapter 17. List constructions 623
  27. Chapter 18. A usage-based typology of Modern Hebrew syntax 659
  28. Index 677
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.210.06mor

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of authors vii
  4. Acknowledgements ix
  5. Transcription and Coding. Transcription, transliteration, Hebrew-specific coding xi
  6. Introduction 1
  7. Part I. General background
  8. Chapter 1. Setting Modern Hebrew in space, time, and culture 19
  9. Chapter 2. Historical overview of Modern Hebrew 27
  10. Chapter 3. Genetic affiliation 41
  11. Chapter 4. Sociolinguistics of Modern Hebrew 51
  12. Chapter 5. Prescriptive activity in Modern Hebrew 97
  13. Chapter 6. Notes on Modern Hebrew phonology and orthography 131
  14. Part II. Morpho-lexicon
  15. Chapter 7. Inflection 147
  16. Chapter 8. Derivation 203
  17. Chapter 9. Parts of speech categories in the lexicon of Modern Hebrew 265
  18. Chapter 10. Voice distinctions 331
  19. Chapter 11. Nominalizations 375
  20. Part III. Syntax
  21. Chapter 12. Agreement alternations in Modern Hebrew 421
  22. Chapter 13. Transitivity and valence 465
  23. Chapter 14. Genitive ( smixut ) constructions in Modern Hebrew 507
  24. Chapter 15. Impersonal and pseudo-impersonal constructions 539
  25. Chapter 16. Negation in Modern Hebrew 583
  26. Chapter 17. List constructions 623
  27. Chapter 18. A usage-based typology of Modern Hebrew syntax 659
  28. Index 677
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