Name of God

Joel S. Berson Berson at ATT.NET
Fri Sep 14 00:16:09 UTC 2007


At 9/13/2007 07:55 PM, Gerald Cohen wrote:
>The explanation I was once given is that it's inappropriate to spell
>out the entire word, since the piece of paper it's written on might
>later be thrown away or otherwise destroyed. And that would be disrespectful.
>
>Gerald Cohen

_The Jewish Book of Why_ says it comes from the 3rd commandment, and
then asks "But what is God's name?"  Yehova is never to be pronounced
(except by the High Priest when officiating at Yom Kippur) or written
out.  Adonai is only to be spoken in prayer.

>________________________________
>
>From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Charles Doyle
>Sent: Thu 9/13/2007 7:03 AM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: Re: X marrying Y <> Y marrying X?
>
><snip>
>
>I still have an occasional Jewish student who will write the word
>"God" as "G-d."  As if "God" is really the unutterable and
>unwritabale NAME, when H- said H-s name is "- -m" . . .
>
>--Charlie

  _Why_ continues:

"In the last few decades [published 1981], a new practice has come
into vogue: that of not writing out in full the _English_ names "God"
or "Lord".  Most authorities consider this to be without foundation
and no more than a passing fad."

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list