The semantics of silence in biblical Hebrew

Thesis

This thesis examines how silence was understood by speakers of biblical Hebrew. Using the biblical books, Ben Sira, Dead Sea Scrolls, and inscriptions, it evaluates how seven lexemes referring to silence were used. Each reference was examined for clues to meaning, using syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, parallels, glosses, antonyms, and causal relations. The early versions (Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Syriac) were consulted to see if they might shed further light on ancient understandings of these words. Semitic languages were also surveyed for potential cognates that might reveal diachronic semantic development.

The chosen lexemes divided into two related domains: restraint (of sound, of action) and cessation (of sound, of motion, of life). Part 1 covers words indicating restraint: 1) חרשׁ refers to not speaking and not hearing (deafness), as well as not acting when expected to. Its counterpart is 2) אלם, referring to muteness or being restrained from speech, while 3) חשׁה can also refer to restraint of both speech and action.

Part 2 covers words indicating cessation: 4a) דמם refers to cessation of motion; 4b) דמה to cessation of life. From these roots arise many derived forms of uncertain meaning (4c): i) דּוּמָה and ii) דֻּמָה, likely referring to the place of the dead; iii) דּוּמִיָּה/דֻמיה, possibly referring to rest; iv) דּוּמָם, ‘silent’ or ‘immobile’; v) דֳּמִי, perhaps rest or cessation; and vi) דְּמָמָה, probably ‘cessation’, but often translated ‘whisper’. Other roots related to cessation are: 5) הס, an interjection meaning ‘hush!’; 6) שׁתק, referring to cessation of commotion; and 7) סכת, a hapax legomenon meaning either ‘be silent’ or ‘listen’.

Part 3 briefly introduces peripheral words, primarily the closely related root שׁקט (8), referring to rest and peace. The periphery of the semantic field is briefly considered (9), along with צמת, which means ‘be silent’ in cognate languages.

The conclusion offers some observations about the field as a whole, describing how the lexemes overlap and differ. Tables and diagrams are offered to represent the richness and versatility of this field graphically.

Authors: Noll, S

• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Subjects: Semantics; biblical Hebrew; Silence