02-16-2005, 10:36 PM
Shlama all--
I loved "Passion of the Christ", and if the language was made up, I was amazed that I understood it so well. It is true they did not use the Peshitta text as they should have, but these are Roman Catholics who are calling the shots here. Furthermore, I am amazed that George Kiraz made a comment that he could understand it well even though it was not his western dialect, but I guess that doesn't count either, because once again the language was made up.
Nevertheless, not only could I make out a great deal of the Aramaic without looking at the subtitles (such as "Judas, you betray the Son of Man with a kiss.") I could even tell when they switched to biblical Hebrew for some of the Pharisees and of course recognized the women singing "mah nishtana ha laila hazeh" with perfect accents. Again, how could I tell if they did not get it right?
Furthermore, this was EASTERN Aramaic (Rev Fulco did get it wrong when he called it Western on the website), for I distinctly heard the AH's in all the right places, not the OHs that characterize the other dialect.
The movie is a masterpiece. I was totally blown away by it and had to admit that all the broo-ha-hah about Anti Semitism was also total bunk. It told the Gospel story. No more and no less. And the Aramaic gave me a sense of historicity (along with the first truly realistic depiction of crucifixion ever brought to the screen) that no other Jesus film even approaches.
I can't speak for others, but I bought the DVD almost the minute it hit the shelves.
Way to go Mel!
I loved "Passion of the Christ", and if the language was made up, I was amazed that I understood it so well. It is true they did not use the Peshitta text as they should have, but these are Roman Catholics who are calling the shots here. Furthermore, I am amazed that George Kiraz made a comment that he could understand it well even though it was not his western dialect, but I guess that doesn't count either, because once again the language was made up.
Nevertheless, not only could I make out a great deal of the Aramaic without looking at the subtitles (such as "Judas, you betray the Son of Man with a kiss.") I could even tell when they switched to biblical Hebrew for some of the Pharisees and of course recognized the women singing "mah nishtana ha laila hazeh" with perfect accents. Again, how could I tell if they did not get it right?
Furthermore, this was EASTERN Aramaic (Rev Fulco did get it wrong when he called it Western on the website), for I distinctly heard the AH's in all the right places, not the OHs that characterize the other dialect.
The movie is a masterpiece. I was totally blown away by it and had to admit that all the broo-ha-hah about Anti Semitism was also total bunk. It told the Gospel story. No more and no less. And the Aramaic gave me a sense of historicity (along with the first truly realistic depiction of crucifixion ever brought to the screen) that no other Jesus film even approaches.
I can't speak for others, but I bought the DVD almost the minute it hit the shelves.
Way to go Mel!
Shlama w'burkate
Andrew Gabriel Roth
Andrew Gabriel Roth