7/31/2019 Huehnergard
1/2
John Huehnergard,An Introduction to Ugaritic (Peabody:
Hendrickson),2012.
As I pen this review we are less than a week from the death of
Frank Moore Cross. A factworth noting since Cross has been so very
influential in the study of Ugaritic and as wellbecause Huehnergard
dedicates his new grammar to Cross.
Huehnergard (from hence, merely H.) offers interested students a
very fine grammarwritten in a sensible style and organized equally
sensibly. The volume begins with anIntroduction (pp. 1-18) wherein
H. describes the Ugaritic language, Ugaritic texts, andfrom my
point of view most importantly, Ugaritic and Biblical studies. Part
II is adiscussion of Orthography (pp. 19-22). Part III, Phonology
(pp. 23-30). Part IV,Morphology (pp. 31-80) including but not
limited to treatments of pronouns, nouns,verbs, adjectives,
numerals, prepositions, adverbs and the other parts of speech. Part
V,Syntax (pp. 81-84). Part VI, Features of Poetic Texts (pp.
85-87). Part VII, Basic
Vocabulary and Practice Exercises (pp. 89-98). And finally, Part
VIII, Selection of Texts(pp. 99-138).
Following the grammar proper, there are a series of very, very
helpful appendicesincluding John Ellisons The Ugaritic Alphabetic
Script, a key to the practice exercises,and paradigms for pronouns,
nouns and adjectives, numerals, and verbs.
The volume also contains 51 plates, some of them in color and
all of them very useful asillustrative material.
From a technical point of view, the volume is printed in an
exceptionally beautiful fontand the transliterated Ugaritic texts
are crystal clear. The book is nicely bound in hardcover and is a
sturdy addition to any collection. It is, in a word, made to endure
theravages of student usage.
When it comes to the matter itself, the introduction to the
student of the language ofUgarit, H. has managed to give readers a
grammar vastly superior to that of StanislavSegert. H.s
organization is simply better and clearer than Segerts and though I
haveutilized Segerts volume for my own course on Ugaritic for many
years, I will from hencerequire H.s instead. Here are my specific
reasons for so doing:
1- The grammar is clear and precise and Hs explanations clean
and crisp.2- The selection of texts offers transliterated readings
followed by line for line and wordfor word explanatory notes.3- The
Glossary is exceptionally good, thorough, and complete, noting
parallels in BiblicalHebrew.4- The exercises allow students to
actually read Ugaritic texts and understand them.
