02-08-2013, 06:20 PM
Aramaic back in those days, much like English today, had a "lingua franca" status. In fact it had been a lingua franca for centuries (and 3 different world empires.)
Today, in a city like Chicago, you will find ethnic groups that cling to their native tongues with each other, but also use English with each other and outside groups. They will even begin to incorporate English into their own languages. Living languages continue to evolve. Dead languages are fixed in time.
When we speak of Aramaic (or, English for that matter), we are not pointing to a rigidly fixed set of rules. It (Aramaic) is a broad term used to describe a language that has always enjoyed a lot of variation and local color. Think of English today in the various continents and islands it is used today. Now expand that by about 3,000 years. That's "Aramaic."
+Shamasha
Today, in a city like Chicago, you will find ethnic groups that cling to their native tongues with each other, but also use English with each other and outside groups. They will even begin to incorporate English into their own languages. Living languages continue to evolve. Dead languages are fixed in time.
When we speak of Aramaic (or, English for that matter), we are not pointing to a rigidly fixed set of rules. It (Aramaic) is a broad term used to describe a language that has always enjoyed a lot of variation and local color. Think of English today in the various continents and islands it is used today. Now expand that by about 3,000 years. That's "Aramaic."
+Shamasha