Geoffrey Khan Bücher

The book offers an in-depth exploration of the nearly extinct Neo-Aramaic dialect once spoken by Jews in Urmi, Iran. It features firsthand research conducted with the last speakers in Israel, providing a comprehensive grammatical analysis and a collection of transcribed texts that encompass folktales, historical narratives, and cultural customs. An extensive glossary further enhances the understanding of this unique linguistic heritage.

Focusing on the nearly extinct Neo-Aramaic dialect of the Jews from Sanandaj, this volume offers a comprehensive grammatical analysis based on firsthand fieldwork with the last speakers in Israel. It includes a rich collection of transcribed texts, such as folktales and historical narratives, alongside detailed portrayals of cultural customs. An extensive glossary enhances the understanding of this unique linguistic heritage, making it a vital resource for scholars and those interested in endangered languages.

The book offers an insightful overview of the Tiberian Masoretic tradition, highlighting its significance in shaping the Hebrew Bible's textual foundation. It explores the intricate layers of this tradition, detailing both the written texts found in medieval manuscripts and the oral reading practices of the Middle Ages. Special focus is placed on the Tiberian reading tradition, emphasizing its crucial role in understanding the vocalization system. Recent discoveries of medieval sources enhance the discussion, filling gaps often overlooked in standard Biblical Hebrew textbooks.

The book explores the evolution of Biblical Hebrew, tracing its vocalization and accent systems back to medieval manuscripts and the work of Tiberian Masoretes during the early Islamic period. It highlights the oral traditions that predate these systems and examines how modern grammatical textbooks are influenced by centuries of European scholarship. A key paradox discussed is the lack of direct access that this European tradition had to the authentic pronunciations established by the Tiberian scholars.

The book offers a critical edition of Arabic documents from the 11th and 12th centuries, uncovered at the Nubian fortress Qär Ibr m. It includes English translations and in-depth analyses, revealing insights into Egypt-Nubia relations during the High Middle Ages, particularly the Fatimid period. These documents are significant as they provide a fresh perspective, contrasting with earlier studies that relied heavily on later historiographical sources, which often presented biased interpretations of historical events.