Is learning Hebrew socially acceptable?

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friedmacguffins
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21 Nov 2014, 1:43 pm

DevilKisses wrote:
I'm mostly learning Hebrew because I want to control my obsession with Jewish people. Some people tell me that it's a waste of time. They said it's better for me to learn Arabic. I tried asking people on other sites, but they just gave me non answers.


Assuming that it doesn't interfere with your physical wellbeing or social obligations, it's ok to have an obsession.

It would also be inoffensive to learn Swahili, Korean, or Akkadian. People do take interests in foreign cultures, such as Egypt-ophiles or Japan-ophiles, but it's considered an obscure hobby, outside of a shared community of interest.

In Israel, you may want to speak Arabic, for the same reason you might want to learn Spanish, in the US. Even though it is not spoken officially, it is still regarded as a language of commerce -- in other words, among laborers, or in the marketplace.

Consider that it's taken your entire lifetime to speak your native language as well as you do now. This will also require a considerable effort on behalf of your language teacher, who may want to know your purposes in learning the language. (There's a running joke about the otaku, who only wants to learn Japanese, so he can enjoy cartoons.)

May I ask whether you are Jewish, or mainly interested in Judaism? You're not particularly accountable to me. So, I am only asking out of idle curiosity.



DevilKisses
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21 Nov 2014, 1:50 pm

friedmacguffins wrote:
DevilKisses wrote:
I'm mostly learning Hebrew because I want to control my obsession with Jewish people. Some people tell me that it's a waste of time. They said it's better for me to learn Arabic. I tried asking people on other sites, but they just gave me non answers.


Assuming that it doesn't interfere with your physical wellbeing or social obligations, it's ok to have an obsession.

It would also be inoffensive to learn Swahili, Korean, or Akkadian. People do take interests in foreign cultures, such as Egypt-ophiles or Japan-ophiles, but it's considered an obscure hobby, outside of a shared community of interest.

In Israel, you may want to speak Arabic, for the same reason you might want to learn Spanish, in the US. Even though it is not spoken officially, it is still regarded as a language of commerce -- in other words, among laborers, or in the marketplace.

Consider that it's taken your entire lifetime to speak your native language as well as you do now. This will also require a considerable effort on behalf of your language teacher, who may want to know your purposes in learning the language. (There's a running joke about the otaku, who only wants to learn Japanese, so he can enjoy cartoons.)

May I ask whether you are Jewish, or mainly interested in Judaism? You're not particularly accountable to me. So, I am only asking out of idle curiosity.

I don't have a language teacher right now. I'm just learning a bit on my own. If I really get interested in Hebrew I may look for a teacher. I'm not Jewish. I just got interested in Jewish people all of a sudden. No idea what you mean by accountable.


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Smoke152
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21 Nov 2014, 1:59 pm

You're friends maybe said learn Arabic instead cuz there are a lot more people speaking it, but yeah.. good luck, I know 3 languages and it's enough for me, english is all I need.



naturalplastic
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21 Nov 2014, 2:08 pm

If you study Hebrew it will give you entree into the Semetic Languages in general. You could expand upon the knowlege to study modern Arabic dialects.
And become an expert in Semetic languges in general. That will make you in demand by the State Department, the CIA, Defense, and private security related firms. And prolly by oil companies too.

Or you might try learning Hebrew and you might get sick of it, and forget all about your Jewish obsession.

Either way its fine.



friedmacguffins
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21 Nov 2014, 2:24 pm

DevilKisses wrote:
No idea what you mean by accountable.


To give an account is a figure of speech, which means to explain yourself.

You don't have to answer to me, if you don't want to.

I am only a stranger on the internet.

If you mean to learn an entire language, from someone like a tutor, you will have to spend countless hours with that person to establish a working relationship.

They will want to know that your interest in the subject matter is sincere and not just casual.



DevilKisses
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21 Nov 2014, 2:57 pm

naturalplastic wrote:
If you study Hebrew it will give you entree into the Semetic Languages in general. You could expand upon the knowlege to study modern Arabic dialects.
And become an expert in Semetic languges in general. That will make you in demand by the State Department, the CIA, Defense, and private security related firms. And prolly by oil companies too.

Or you might try learning Hebrew and you might get sick of it, and forget all about your Jewish obsession.

Either way its fine.

I'm not American so I don't think the CIA will care if I learn Arabic or not. I'll probably get sick of Hebrew and Jewish stuff. My accordion obsession went away a month or two after I started playing accordion. Now it's just something I enjoy doing.
friedmacguffins wrote:
DevilKisses wrote:
No idea what you mean by accountable.


To give an account is a figure of speech, which means to explain yourself.

You don't have to answer to me, if you don't want to.

I am only a stranger on the internet.

If you mean to learn an entire language, from someone like a tutor, you will have to spend countless hours with that person to establish a working relationship.

They will want to know that your interest in the subject matter is sincere and not just casual.

I'm not sure if my interest in learning Hebrew is sincere. Right now it's pretty casual, so I'm not spending any money on it. I'm just using whatever free resources I can find.


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BuyerBeware
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21 Nov 2014, 3:27 pm

Nothing wrong with it. Things don't have to be useful to be OK. Sometimes merely being interesting and pleasurable to you is use enough.

Arabic (or Hindi or Chinese or Spanish) might be more useful in getting a job, but that's neither here nor there. This isn't about a resume, it's about an interest. The idea that, for an adult, an interest is only acceptable if it benefits the resume...

...well, that idea is silly. Like the idea that mothers shouldn't have hobbies.


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friedmacguffins
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21 Nov 2014, 3:54 pm

fwiw, there are entire libraries of people reading this stuff, all day, without an attendant, which, to me, seems noncommittal.

If I meant to pursue this, publicly, I think the modest clothes would be nice.

You might also call, to ask permission, just in case.

I assume that there are less-formal venues, but to attend synagogue is not always free, btw.



DevilKisses
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21 Nov 2014, 4:06 pm

friedmacguffins wrote:
fwiw, there are entire libraries of people reading this stuff, all day, without an attendant, which, to me, seems noncommittal.

If I meant to pursue this, publicly, I think the modest clothes would be nice.

You might also call, to ask permission, just in case.

I assume that there are less-formal venues, but to attend synagogue is not always free, btw.

I did research attending synagogue. I'll make sure to attend on a non-holiday. I think it costs money during holidays. I'll be attending with my family anyways. We'll also be going to church, we're not just exploring Judaism.


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friedmacguffins
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21 Nov 2014, 4:27 pm

Since we're discussing religion, may I ask why you're called DevilKisses?



Tawaki
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21 Nov 2014, 4:54 pm

DevilKisses wrote:
I'm mostly learning Hebrew because I want to control my obsession with Jewish people. Some people tell me that it's a waste of time. They said it's better for me to learn Arabic. I tried asking people on other sites, but they just gave me non answers.


Why not?

I'm learning Thai, and I'm not Thai.

Nothing you learn is ever a waste of time.

Shabbat Shalom!

Tawaki



DevilKisses
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21 Nov 2014, 5:19 pm

friedmacguffins wrote:
Since we're discussing religion, may I ask why you're called DevilKisses?

I was creating a random username for another site and the name DevilKisses stuck. My username has nothing to do with religion.


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kraftiekortie
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21 Nov 2014, 6:21 pm

Also remember that (Ashkenazi) Jews go to shul during the Shabbat (Sabbath).



DevilKisses
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23 Nov 2014, 1:07 pm

I just looked at a bit of Biblical Hebrew. It hurt my brain! Modern Hebrew is way easier.


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friedmacguffins
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23 Nov 2014, 1:58 pm

There's a saying about continuous study being like the water, which shapes stone -- a somber proposition for some.

Yet, the concept of movement is still useful.

It can be considered helpful to view each letter in terms of a picture. And, each word is considered a type of sentence, made of pictures.



DevilKisses
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23 Nov 2014, 9:46 pm

friedmacguffins wrote:
There's a saying about continuous study being like the water, which shapes stone -- a somber proposition for some.

Yet, the concept of movement is still useful.

It can be considered helpful to view each letter in terms of a picture. And, each word is considered a type of sentence, made of pictures.

I don't think I'm a very visual thinker.


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