Everyday Conversations in a dead Language: T-V Distinction in Hebrew of the XIX-XX Centuries

The lecture is devoted to the analysis of Hebrew part of everyday dialogues, published in the "Course of the Russian Language" by Epstein Zalkind (Warsaw 1869). It remains an open question whether the Hebrew language of the XIX century should be considered dead or living language. In that regard the Course of Epstein provides a curious material that does not fit into the framework of general idea of the existence of Hebrew language. Particular attention is paid to the system of T-V distinction. V-forms of address, expressed by the grammar third-person, are analyzed on the basis of a wide range of Hebrew sources and compared to the similar phenomenon in Polish and German. Originating before the XVII century the T-V distinction disappeared in Israeli Hebrew. However, it is still used in specific communication situations that can be regarded as rudiments of traditional speech skills of prior centuries.