how to say “pure Hebrew” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-1.m4a” /]עִבְרִית טְהוֹרָה

The Academy of the Hebrew Language makes an effort to introduce pure Hebrew words for otherwise foreign words that Hebrew speakers tend to use. Here’s a complete list.

Some of these have caught on: analysis (אנליזה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-2.m4a” /]) became ניתוח[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-3.m4a” /], arena (ארנה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-4.m4a” /]) became זירה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-5.m4a” /], and absolute (אבסולוטי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-6.m4a” /]) became מוחלט[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-7.m4a” /].

Others didn’t quite make it: telephone remains טלפון[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-8.m4a” /], not שח רחוק[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-9.m4a” /]; and bowling remains באולינג[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-10.m4a” /] (dubious pronunciation notwithstanding), not כדורת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-11.m4a” /].

In any case, the expression for pure Hebrew is עברית טהורה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-1.m4a” /].

However, given the fact that all languages borrow from other ones, with Hebrew – even Biblical Hebrew – being no exception, one might say:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/עברית-טהורה-12.m4a” /]אין כזה דבר עברית טהורה.

There is no such thing as a pure Hebrew.