Semitic Languages - A full introduction | With Dr. Benjamin Suchard

This video features an in-depth interview with Dr. Benjamin Suchard, a linguistics expert, covering the history, the geography and the linguistic structure of the semitic languages. Dr. Suchard delves into the evolution of distinct languages, and elaborates about the millenia long process in which semitic languages emerged from a broader Afroasiatic family, and their separation to different languages and dialects. Dr. Suchard describes the spread of Semitic languages across the Middle East and Africa, examining their similarities and differences, particularly between Hebrew and Arabic. This episode not only provides a deep understanding of the evolution of languages, but also explores the sociopolitical aspects of defining languages and dialects. 👤 *About Dr. Benjamin Suchard:* Benjamin Suchard is a member of the Research Unit Biblical Studies at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven. He holds an MA (2012) and a PhD (2016) in Linguistics, both from Leiden University, the Netherlands. He is the author of The Development of the Biblical Hebrew Vowels (2019; Leiden: Brill) and of a number of journal articles and book chapters on Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Aramaic, and comparative Semitics. His current research project is focused on the grammar of the language varieties underlying the Biblical Aramaic consonantal texts and reading tradition and their interaction. 🕒 Timestamps: 00:13: Introduction and initial discussion about the Semitic group of languages and its controversial origins. 01:00: Dr. Benjamin Suchard’s introduction and the importance of language in society and communication. 01:31: Explanation of language change and evolution over time, with examples of slang and less noticeable changes in languages. 02:56: Discussion about how dialects can diverge into separate languages over centuries. 04:32: Exploration of the spread and diversity of the Semitic languages, focusing on the Semitic languages in the Middle East and Africa. 06:04: Comparison of Hebrew and Arabic languages, showing their similarities and the mutual intelligibility of words. 17:02: Dr. Suchard addresses the complexity of defining a language versus a dialect, emphasizing the social and political dimensions of this distinction. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: The defining characteristics of Semitic languages Historical significance and geographical spread of these languages How languages like Hebrew and Arabic relate to each other and to other Semitic languages Insights into ancient scripts and their modern connections The fascinating link between language evolution and cultural development 🔗 A special thanks and credit to @BahadorAlast for his kindness in allowing us to use part of his videos. We strongly recommend Bahador’s channel on YouTube: 👍 Like and Subscribe If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share with others who might be interested in the wonders of the Ancient Near East. Stay tuned for more exciting content on the KEDEM Channel! #SemiticLanguages #Linguistics #LanguageEvolution #HistoricalLinguistics #MiddleEasternLanguages #AfricanLanguages #LanguageHistory