Verse:Irta/Hebrew

The history of Rabbinic Judaism in Irta is much like in our own world. The Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, the Mishnah, the Talmud and the major Kabbalah texts are identical to ours; the Shulchan Aruch prescribes the same laws. (Basically everything about Hasidism stays the same except with Ăn Yidiș rather than Yiddish.)

However, many accents of Irta Hebrew, except Tiberian Hebrew which is identical to our timeline's Tiberian Hebrew, preserve phonological distinctions that our Hebrew lost by Post-Exilic Hebrew times.

Irta Modern Hebrew

Main page: Verse:Irta/Modern Hebrew

Yevani Hebrew

Also Togarmite Hebrew

• Consonants: /ʔ b v g ɣ d ð h w z ħ tˁ j k x l m n s ʕ p f sˁ q r ʃ t θ/ = [ʔ b v g ɣ d ð h v z ħ t⁼ j k⁼ x l m n s ʕ~ŋ p⁼ f ts⁼ k⁼ r ʃ t⁼ θ]
• Vowels: /i e ɛ a QG QQ o u (shva na) ḤP ḤS ḤQ/ = [i e̞ e̞ ä ä o̞ o̞ u e̞ ä e̞ o̞]

Chinese Hebrew

Chinese Hebrew is the reading tradition used in Judeo-Mandarin-speaking communities. It's a result of a restandardization to Tiberian niqqud; some Hebrew loans in Judeo-Mandarin keep relics of an older reading.

Chinese Hebrew is similar to our Ashkenazi Hebrew, except

• Tiberian /e(:) ɔ(:) o(:) u(:)/ are pronounced as Judeo-Mandarin ey o u ü
• Shva na3 is ă /ə/ in careful pronunciation
• undageshed gimel is pronounced like Judeo-Mandarin gh
• /r/ is a retroflex approximant like Hiberno-English R
• dageshed bet, dageshed gimel, and dalet (whether dageshed or not) are pronounced as unaspirated /p t k/
• dageshed tav, daleth, teth are dental [t̪ʰ t̪ t̪]
• sin/undageshed tav can be dental [s̪] or alveolar [s]
• both zayin and tsade are /ts⁼/; samekh is /tsʰ/
• kuf and tet are unaspirated /k/ and /t/
• /p t k/ are aspirated

Old Tsarfati Hebrew

Old Tsarfati Hebrew was used during Proto-Ăn Yidiș times and is the source of early Hebrew loans in Ăn Yidiș (before the pronunciation was re-standardized according to Tiberian niqqud, resulting in what is today called Tsarfati Hebrew). It is noticeably less conservative than Tiberian Hebrew, for example merging the emphatic series and the voiced series and merging patach with qamatz gadol, even though it keeps some older distinctions lost in Tiberian Hebrew such as samekh vs sin.

It has the following sound changes from PSem:

• emphatics and alveolar /r/ are kept
• ś/s þ š > Basque z, Basque s, š (written as shin left dot, shin middle dot, shin right dot)
• z ð > voiced Basque z, voiced Basque s (the latter becomes Tamil zh or retroflex L in some readings)
• Ayn and ghayn are still merged, as well as ħ and x.
• Qamatz is always /a/ as in Sephardi the and Palestinian traditions.

Comparison

Genesis 49

Jacob blesses his sons before he dies.

Dror Yikra

Dror Yikra is a medieval Shabbat piyyut, in our timeline one of the earliest piyyutim to use an Arabic-derived meter.

Disclaimer: Piyyutim are thick with biblical allusions so they're a bitch to translate. I'm sure I made mistakes.

[X] denotes "something that has the same reflex as X in our Tiberian Hebrew."

Hebrew (Tiberian)

דְּרוֹר יִקְרָא לְבֵן עִם בַּת
וְיִנְצָרְכֶם כְּמוֹ בָבַת
נְעִים שִׁמְכֶם וְלֹא יֻשְׁבַּת
שְׁבוּ נוּחוּ בְּיוֹם שַׁבָּת

דְּרוֹשׁ נָוִי וְאוּלָמִי
וְאוֹת יֶשַׁע עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי
נְטַע שׂוֹרֵק בְּתוֹךְ כַּרְמִי
שְׁעֵה שַׁוְעַת בְּנֵי עַמִּי

דְּרוֹךְ פּוּרָה בְּתוֹךְ בָּצְרָה
וְגַם בָּבֶל אֲשֶׁר גָּבְרָה
נְתוֹץ צָרַי בְּאַף עֶבְרָה
שְׁמַע קוֹלִי בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָא

אֱלֹקים תֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר הַר
הֲדַס שִׁטָּה בְּרוֹשׁ תִּדְהָר
וְלַמַּזְהִיר וְלַנִּזְהָר
שְׁלוֹמִים תֵּן כְּמֵי נָהָר

הֲדוֹךְ קָמַי חַי אֵל קַנָּא
בְּמוֹג לֵבָב וּבִמְגִנָּה
וְנַרְחִיב פֶּה וּנְמַלֶּאנָּה
לְשׁוֹנֵנוּ לְךָ רִנָּה

דְּעֵה חָכְמָה לְנַפְשֶׁךָ
וְהִיא כֶתֶר לְרֹאשֶׁךָ
נְצוֹר מִצְוַת קְדֹשֶׁךָ
שְׁמוֹר שַׁבָּת קָדְשֶׁךָ

Proto-Tsarfati

[dăˈru̠ːʀ jiqˈʀɔː lɐˈveːn ʕiːm baːθ]
[wĭjints̺ˁɔʀˈxɛːm kăˈmuː vɔːˈvaːθ]
[nĭˈʕiːm ʃimˈxɛːm wăˈluː jʉs̺ˈbaːθ]
[s̺ăˈvʉː nʉːˈ[ħ]ʉː bĭˈjuːm s̺aˈbːɔːθ]

[dăˈroːʃ nɔːˈwiː wʉ̆ʔʉːlɔːˈmiː]
[wŭˈʔuːθ ˈjeːʃaʕ ʕăˈs̻eː ʕiˈmːiː]
[năˈtˁaːʕ s̻uːˈʀeːq băˈθuːx kaʀˈmiː]
[[ʃ]ĕˈʕeː [ʃ]awˈʕaθ băˈneː ʕaˈmːiː]

[dăˈroːx pʉːˈʀɔː băˈθuːx bɔts̻ˁˈrɔː]
[wăˈɣaːm bɔːˈveːl ʔăˈs̺ɛːʀ gɔvɐˈʀɔː]
[năˈθoː[ts̻ˁ] [ts̻ˁ]ɔːˈʀaːj băˈʔaːf ʕɛvˈʀɔː]
[ʃăˈmaːʕ quːˈliː bĭˈjuːm ʔɛqˈʀɔː]

[ʔɛ̆luːˈhiːm teːn bamːiðˈbɔːʀ haːʀ]
[hăˈðaːs̻ ʃiˈtːˁɔ băˈʀuːs̺ tiðˈhɔːʀ]
[wălamːazˈhiːʀ wălanːizˈhɔːʀ]
[ʃăluːˈmiːm teːn kăˈmeː nɔːˈhɔːʀ]

[hăˈðoːx qɔːˈmaːj ħaːj ʔeːl qaˈnːɔː]
[băˈmoːɣ leːˈvɔːv ʔʉvimɣiˈnːɔː]
[wănaʀˈħiːv pɛː ʔʉnmaˈlːɛnːɔː]
[lăʃuːˈneːnʉː lăˈxɔː ʀiˈnːɔː]

[dĕˈʕeː ħɔxˈmɔː lănafˈʃɛːxɔː]
[wĭˈhiː ˈxɛːθɛʀ lăruːˈʃɛːxɔː]
[năˈts̺ˁoːr mits̻ˁˈwaːθ qăðoːˈʃɛːxɔː]
[ʃăˈmoːr s̺aˈbːɔːθ qɔðˈʃɛːxɔː]

Tsarfati (Standard Ăn Yidiș accent)

[t⁼əˈrur jigˈro ləˈvejn ʔim bas]
[vəjintsˑʰorˈχem kʰəˈmu voˈvas]
[nəˈʔim ʃimˈχem wəˈlu jyʃˈp⁼as]
[ʃəˈvy nyˈχy p⁼əˈjum ʃaˈbos]

[t⁼əˈruʃ noˈvi vəʔyloˈmi]
[vəˈʔus ˈjejʃa ʔaˈsej ʔiˈmi]
[nəˈda suˈrejk⁼ p⁼əˈsuχ kʰarˈmi]
[ʃəˈʔej ʃawˈʔas p⁼əˈnej ʔaˈmi]

[t⁼əˈruχ pʰʉˈro p⁼əˈsuχ p⁼otsˑʰˈro]
[vəˈʁam p⁼oˈvejl ʔaˈʃɛr k⁼ovˈro]
[nəˈsutsˑʰ tsˑʰoˈraj p⁼əˈʔaf ʔevˈro]
[ʃəˈma k⁼uˈli p⁼əˈjum ʔegˈro]

[ʔeluˈhim tʰejn bamit⁼ˈp⁼or har]
[haˈdas ʃiˈdo p⁼əˈrus tʰitˈhor]
[vəlamadzˈhir vəlanidzˈhor]
[ʃəluˈmim tʰejn kʰəˈmej noˈhor]

[haˈduχ k⁼oˈmaj χaj ʔejl k⁼aˈno]
[p⁼əˈmuʁ lejˈvov ʔyvimʁiˈno]
[vənarˈhiv pe ʔynəmaˈleno]
[ləʃuˈnejny ləˈχo riˈno]

[t⁼əˈʔej χoχˈmo lənafˈʃeχo]
[vəˈhi ˈχeser ləruˈʃeχo]
[nəˈtsʰur mitsʰˈvas k⁼əduˈʃeχo]
[ʃəˈmur ʃaˈbos k⁼odˈʃeχo]

English (What Inthar got from an Israeli site explaining piyyutim)

[God] will proclaim freedom for his sons and daughters
And guard you [all] as the apple of his eye
Pleasant is your name and will never cease [to be so];
Sit and rest on the Sabbath day.

[God], remember my abode and my hall [Temple]
And show me a sign of salvation.
Plant a choice vine in my vineyard [give us a messiah/king in Jerusalem],
Attend to the cries of my people.

Tread [upon my foes] as on a winepress in Botsra [Edom],
And Babylon which overpowered [us].
Crush my oppressors in your wrath,
Hear my voice when I call.

O God, give us a mountain amidst the desert,
Myrtles, acacias, cypresses and [unknown tree species];
To those who admonish [others to keep the Sabbath] and to those who heed
Grant peace like a flowing river.

Pulverize my aggressors [as in a mortar], as surely as You live, O Jealous God [who is jealous for his people],
Make their hearts dissolve [with terror] and distress them,
And with open mouths we shall fill
Our tongues with songs of gladness to you.

Know what is wise for your soul,
And [wisdom] shall be a crown for your head.
Guard your Holy One's commandment,
Keep your holy Sabbath.

Yedid Nefesh

Yedid Nefesh ("Friend of the Soul") is a 16th-century Shabbat piyyut originally from the Sephardi (in the Irta timeline, Yevani) tradition. In our timeline Ashkenazi Jews sing a slightly different version; I use the Ashkenazi version here to illustrate the difference between various Hebrew reading traditions of Ăn Yidiș-speaking Jews in Irta.

Hebrew (Tiberian)
יְדִיד נֶפֶשׁ אַב הָרַחְמָן
מְשׁוֹךְ עַבְדְּךָ אֶל רְצוֹנֶךָ
יָרוּץ עַבְדְּךָ כְּמוֹ אַיָּל
יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל מוּל הֲדָרֶךָ
יֶעֱרַב לוֹ יְדִידוּתֶךָ
מִנֹּפֶת צוּף וְכָל טָעַם

Standard Ăn Yidiș accent
[jəd̥ɪd̥ ne̞fe̞ʃ av ho̞ɾäχmo̞n]
[məʃʊχ ävdəχo̞ e̞lɭ ɻətsˑʰʊne̞χo̞]
[jo̞ɻy̠tsˑʰ ävdəχo̞ kʰəmu (ʔ)äjo̞l]
[jɪʃtʰäχäve̞ ʔe̞l my̠l häd̥o̞ɻe̞χo̞]
[je̞ʔe̞ɻäv lʊ jəd̥ɪd̥y̠se̞χo̞]
[mɪnʊfe̞s tsʰy̠f vəχo̞l t⁼o̞(ʔ)äm]

Ballmer Ăn Yidiș accent
[jɛ̈ðɪð neɪfeɪʃ av huraχmun]
[mɛ̈ʃoʊχ ävdɛ̈χu eɪəɫ rɛ̈tsʰoʊneɪχu]
[juritsʰ ävdɛ̈χu kʰɛ̈moʊ äjuɫ]
[jɪʃtʰäχäveɪ eɪəɫ mɪɫ häðureɪχu]
[je̞jɛräv ɫoʊ jəðɪðɪseɪχu]
[mɪnoʊfe̞ɪs tsʰɪf vɛ̈χuɫ t⁼uʔäm]

English
Friend of the soul, merciful father!
Draw me, Your servant, towards Your will/good favor.
Your servant runs like a deer
And falls prostrate before Your splendor.
More pleasant to him is Your companionship
Than honey, nectar, or any taste.

Irtan Hebrew poetry

Hebrew dán díreach

Some Irtan Modern Hebrew revivalist poets wrote their Hebrew poetry in meters inspired by the Irish dán díreach.

Assumes penult stress like Hebraeo-Ăn Yidiș

Stanzas are quatrains with a fixed number of syllables per line (usually 7-10)

Alliteration works on a stressed-syllable basis; various meters with patterns of line-final rhyme, alliteration, internal rhyme and non-line-final rhymes between lines

For rhyming, vowels must agree from the stressed syllable onwards, and consonant groups must match (however, in segolates, the vowel of the unstressed final syllable is ignored; so péle 'wonder' and qémaħ 'flour' rhyme)

Rhyming consonant groups:

1. Qoph, teth and tsade
2. Dageshed beth, gimel and daleth
3. Dageshed kaf, pe, and tav
4. Undageshed kaf, pe, and tav
5. Undageshed beth, gimel, daleth; Undageshed lamedh, mem, nun, resh
6. Dageshed l, m, n
7. Shin, sin, samekh, zayin
8. Aleph, he, heth, ayin, yud, vav (null final belongs to this group)

ʔáni u-Phángur hallǻbhån,

kol ʔíš bimălákhto ʕǻbhådh. (pausal form of ʕåbhadh 'he worked')

"I and the white Pangur,

Each [of us] has worked in his craft"

Pángur ėno bi măkanė;

Hu bă-ša3šu3åv yith3anėgh.

"Pangur does not envy me;

He delights in his playing."