Before reading this post, take the time to watch the first clip. You'll realize that a lot of thought and creativity was invested in this campaign. An Israeli starlet named Limor Degani was hired for the job. Once a high school teacher for Arabic, her natural skills proven to be a lot more handy.
In the first clip Limor Degani shows that she still remembers a word or two from her previous profession. Sad to say, but for most of us Israelis, the Arabic language is used only for cursing each other. Not many people know that, but the Hebrew language doesn't contain swear words. Maimonides (Rambam) said that Hebrew was chosen as the holy language because it has no swear words or words to describe sexual organs. In his words:
"the Hebrew language has no special name for the organ of generation in females or in males, nor for the act of generation itself, nor for semen, nor for secretion. The Hebrew has no original expressions for these things, and only describes them in figurative language and by way of hints, as if to indicate thereby that these things should not be mentioned, and should therefore have no names; we ought to be silent about them, and when we are compelled to mention them, we must manage to employ for that purpose some suitable expressions, although these are generally used in a different sense." - Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed, Chapter 8.
Nahmanides (Ramban) gave different reason why the Hebrew became holy tongue. He says that the prophecies of the bible were written in Hebrew and God words were spoken in it. Therefor, it is holy.
I think that a language without swear words is somewhat limited but go argue with God.
Anyway, after the first ad was banned, yad2 decided not to give up. They released this squeal which was banned as well. They still can't figure out why, but after watching it couple of times I'm starting to get a clue. It wasn't because the Arabic.
Anyway, after the first ad was banned, yad2 decided not to give up. They released this squeal which was banned as well. They still can't figure out why, but after watching it couple of times I'm starting to get a clue. It wasn't because the Arabic.
8 comments:
Hi, Guy. Just found your blog by way of a good friend, Fredwrite.
So far, it's been pretty cool.
I like a writer who's interesting. Hope you don't mind if I check in from time to time...
oh dear lord guy, i think i may have a crush on you. har har har.
this is one hilarious post, and i really wonder why it was banned. it's soft core porn!
keep up the smart posts, definitely entertaining!
Shalom Guy : Would Mamzer be considered swearing in Hebrew ?
Thank you Kevin, you are welcome to check in anytime. Please send my regards to Fred.
Good point Lucia. Mamzer is the closest thing to swear word I can think of in Hebrew. It's an old word originate in the bible. Mamzer is a person who was born from a married woman after an act of adultery. Mamzer suffer from discrimination due the purity laws of the bible. I would refer to it not a swear word but more as an unfortunate status in a society which preserve strict laws of purity and marriage.
Im a food slut.
That's the reason why I live alone, where my fridge doesn't work,the cupboard is always empty, and I spend my money on body mods.
I'm happy these ads were banned cause, as always in Israel, some groups and/or people would say it's insulting (which is true), some of them because of the visual content, others because of the audio content and others because this woman is in second-hand sale. It would end in a big public issue.
But surprises me more the 'Did you know?' part. I didn't know Hebrew doesn't have its own swear words. Memzar, in English it means "bastard", which isn't a swear word in the "essence" but it culturally transformed into one (the same happened in other languages like English and Spanish).
Where do you find all these facts??? Aaaaaahhhh, yeah, Mahshevet Israel rules!!!!!!! And you give it a good use, as usual...
Hey, Kevin! Welcome to Iceland.
Now, Guy, I have no idea what's going on here, but I love it.
You've reminded me of the lines of Lord Byron in "Don Juan" whose mother was convinced that English and Hebrew were related languages because . . .
"The Hebrew proper noun that means
'I am,' the English often use to govern 'damn.'"
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