Wexler says Hebrew is a Slavic Language

[Richard Robin]

I am familiar with Paul Wexler's argument (summed up in English at
http://linguistlist.org/issues/13/13-2349.html). Wexler says that Yiddish,
commonly thought to be Germanic (specifically a development of Middle High
German) is in fact, relexified (by German) 10-C Slavic on two fronts:
Sorbian in the 10thC and Ukrainian (Kiev-Polessian) several centuries later.
I'm way out of my depth in discussing the merits of that argument. But
Wexler goes on to argue that Hebrew is relexified Yiddish. That makes Hebrew
a Slavic language. I need a reality check. Isn't that something of a
stretch? Or can my department go to our dean and demand that the we now
subsume Hebrew program?

-Rich Robin

*In the latest newcomer to SEELANGS, Modern Hebrew (which according to
Paul Wexler is a Slavic language, cf. http://www.tau.ac.il/humanities/
yedion/03-04/syllabi/single_syllabi/06273138.html )
*

-- 
Richard M. Robin, Ph.D.
Director Russian Language Program
Technical Advisor, GW Language Сenter
The George Washington University
Washington, DC 20008
202-994-7081
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