[HANASHIR:1741] Re: Correcton on the bimah (was Re: the words to rise & shine)

[David Weisz <dweisz...>]

Okay, as a Linguistics major in school, I need to jump in on this one. May I
remind everyone that Hebrew is a language, and it is a language that has a
correct and incorrect method of pronunciation. I totally agree with you that it
is down right rude for your rabbi to correct you in the middle of services, but
in my opinion, it is totally appropriate for him to correct you afterwards, in
his study.

As a songleader and music teacher, I constantly turn to the native Hebrew
speakers (or those who are very fluent) to make sure that my pronunciation is
right. I also make sure I double check the actual Hebrew (as opposed to the
transliteration) when I learn a new song, or when I'm not exactly sure how to
pronounce a word. I had to check David Melech the other day!

It would never be deemed acceptable for you to mispronounce English in your
congregation, and it should be seen as just as bad to mispronounce Hebrew. Does
anyone agree, or am I just being a little too picky?

David

matheson wrote:

> Janet, my Rabbi corrected me a couple of times on my pronunciation, in front
> of the congregation as we turned to the Ark for the Amidah. Although done
> sotto voce, it rattled me and threw off my concentration.
> As you said, would anyone in the congregation have cared?  I know it
> mattered to noone else.
> After he did it a second time, some months later during another service, I
> told him afterwards he was rude & unprofessional, as I would never interrupt
> a sermon to correct him!
> He still corrects me, but only after the service, in the privacy of his
> study.
> Hey, can I help it if my Tzadi's sound like Zayin's?
> Robin in NWFLorida
> Temple Beth Shalom
> Ft. Walton Beach
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janet(dot)PAPE (at) oecd(dot)org
> Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 9:13 AM
> Subject: [HANASHIR:1715] Re: the words to rise & shine
>
> > snip <
> >The year before he stopped me on a high B,
> >the highest note of the service -- expressly
> >written that way to add emphasis to that part
> >of the Amidah -- to correct me. < snip >