Aramean Name-Types in the Elephantine Documents
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3967860 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michael H Silverman (0000-0002-6651-646X, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1969 |
| Volume | 89 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 691 |
| Publication date | 1969-10-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of the American Oriental Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0003-0279 • E-ISSN: 2169-2289 |
| Publisher | JSTOR (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/596942 |
| OpenAlex | W2334996041 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
The analysis of the Aramaic name-types is one important subject within the more general study of the personal names in the Elephantine documents. Such names cannot be isolated according to ethnic criteria since such tests are either inconclusive or contradictory. The only valid means for distinguishing them is the linguistic criterion, i.e., the contrasts between Aramaic and the other languages in phonology, morphology, and lexical attestation. Using this method, five types of Aramaic names may be isolated and listed: (i) pure Aramaic names with Aramaic divine elements; (ii) mixed Aramaic names with Akkadian divine elements; (iii) Jewish Aramaic names with Jewish divine elements; (iv) hypocoristica, names that may be ascribed to any of the other groups; and (v) Aramaic names with the theophorous/divine elements '?m, 4rm, and byt'l. If the chronology of use of these Aramaic names is determined according to a revised dating of the texts, these Aramaic names are attested most often during one particular period of the Jewish military colony's existence. The great significance of this fact for understanding Elephantine history is analyzed. On this basis, a new interpretation may be offered of the r6le of the '?n, 4rm, and byt'l names, one that considers them ethnically Jewish. Two other important conclusions of this study are: (i) the first two groups of Aramaic names mentioned above attest to the presence of racial Aramaeans at Elephantine; and (ii) the third group shows that Jews had begun to use Aramaic as well as Hebrew in their personal names
Archaeology · Art · Hebrew · Interpretation (philosophy) · Judaism · Linguistics · Literature · African history and culture analysis · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Classics · History · Philosophy
| Citations per year | 0.05 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 1970 - 2018 (49) |
| Highly cited | No |