More than 30 years ago, stubbs told robertson he had found a significant number of cognates that would link a new world language family utoaztecan to an old world language family preexilic hebrew and later others. Exploring the explanatory power of semitic and egyptian in. Feb 05, 2010 linguistic evidence for the book of mormon im a student and teacher of language. As discussed on my book of mormon evidences page, brian stubbs has published significant works showing serious connections between native american languages the uto aztecan language group and old world languages such as hebrew. Chris rogers, a byu professor who is likely himself a mormon has critiqued the theory proposed by brian stubbs that there is a connection between the semitic and uto aztecan languages, essentially characterizing it as nonsense fake linguistics intended to further a religious goal. Utoaztecan proposal in the journal of book of mormon studies, vol. Recent scholarly research suggests a possible link between utoaztecan a family of about 30 native american languages and hebrew. An 1860 englishhopi vocabulary written in the deseret. The volume is of value to persons interested in early mormon missions, the deseret alphabet, the hopi people, or to linguists interested in the hopi language or utoaztecan comparative linguistics. Another example of lexical nonsense applied to the book of mormon. How do critics of the historicity of the book of mormon. The evidence for, say, hebrew in uto aztecan is actually more impressive than the linguistic evidence for hebrew influence in yiddish. I think the most compelling evidences for the book of mormon are the linguistic evidences offered in the text. Where are the descendants of the book of mormon people today.
Overview of the utoaztecan indian languages, their history and distribution. Recent scholarly research suggests a possible link between uto aztecan a family of about 30 native american languages and hebrew. Two words are cognate, elzinga explains, if it can be demonstrated that they both have a common historical. Unlike other similar claims absurd, eccentric, and without substance stubbss book is a serious, linguistically based study that deserves serious consideration. Links to other utoaztecan language resources utoaztecan language family. Book of mormon linguistical evidence for the book of mormon. The book, three decades in the making, is highly regarded among native american linguists as is stubbs website, uto aztecan. Robertss study which was published posthumously in 1985 as studies of the book of mormon. This evidence wont prove the book of mormon to be true. Linguists provide possible evidence consistent with book of mormon claims as discussed on my book of mormon evidences page, brian stubbs has published significant works showing serious connections between native american languages the utoaztecan language group and old world languages such as hebrew.
While implications for these finds on the book of mormon can be overstated, what stubbs has uncovered may be among the most impressive scholarly finds related to the book of mormon. Egyptian and semitic in utoaztecan brian d stubbs, january 2015 many unresolved questions in utoaztecan ua have eluded linguists for the century since sapir 19, 1915 established ua as a language family, and while the language ties in this title may seem unseemly to some, they explain. While implications for these finds on the book of mormon can be overstated, what stubbs has uncovered may be among the most impressive scholarly finds. Nothing, in fact, proves the book of mormon is true. The book, three decades in the making, is highly regarded among native american linguists as is stubbs website, utoaztecan.
Exploring the explanatory power of semitic and egyptian in uto. More relevant research has tentatively identified hundreds of possible links between utoaztecan languages in book of mormon territory with. Book of mormon linguistical evidence for the book of mormon this evidence wont prove the book of mormon to be true. Stubbs is one of worlds foremost experts on the utoaztecan language family whose languages include shoshoni, comanche, ute, hopi and.
The evidence for, say, hebrew in utoaztecan is actually more impressive than the linguistic evidence for hebrew influence in yiddish. A comprehensive study links the utoaztecan languages of western north america to egyptian and hebrew the lord in a revelation to the prophet joseph smith in 1833 declared that, the book of mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of indians. Nov 05, 2016 i think that if one does not know the uto aztecan language that was spoken 2500 years ago nor the precise mixutres of semitic languages that could have influenced the uto aztecan language at the time, i think that it is an assumption to use the language family in this case rather than the precise language. Links to other uto aztecan language resources uto aztecan language family. This is followed by an analysis of puzzles in uto aztecan explained by egyptian. Translations of the ancient book of mormon language taken from the transcribed characters of the reformed egyptian, including linguistic and scientific research of its mesoamerican setting. Jan 30, 2016 a comprehensive study links the utoaztecan languages of western north america to egyptian and hebrew the lord in a revelation to the prophet joseph smith in 1833 declared that, the book of mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of indians. Also on that page, i also quote matthew roper regarding the book of mormon term sheum for grain, which proves to be a perfectly good akkadian cereal name.
Lets void the void, journal of book of mormon studies. Jun 01, 2017 more than 30 years ago, stubbs told robertson he had found a significant number of cognates that would link a new world language family utoaztecan to an old world language family preexilic hebrew and later others. Brian stubbs, the wellknown linguist who has found native american utoaztecan languages to be filled with hebrew and egyptian, has just started a website on the utoaztecan language. Dec 18, 2010 brian stubbs, the wellknown linguist who has found native american uto aztecan languages to be filled with hebrew and egyptian, has just started a website on the uto aztecan language. Stubbs, including a curious element in uto aztecan, the epigraphic society occasional papers, vol. Book of mormon central archive hebrew and utoaztecan. An impressive aspect of stubbss work discussed more fully later is the ability to provide explanatory power in tracing the history of uto aztecan and in evaluating language issues in book of mormon studies this requires a careful reading of the text which stubbs demonstrates well. Stubbs, the labial labyrinth in utoaztecan, international journal of american linguistics 61, no. Excerpts from the 400page book egyptian and semitic in. Stubbs is one of worlds foremost experts on the utoaztecan language family whose languages include shoshoni, comanche, ute, hopi and nahuatl. Exploring the explanatory power of semitic and egyptian in uto aztecan. A comparative vocabulary uacv, stubbs 2011, favorably received by uto aztecanists, though no two ua.
As a linguist, knowledgeable in egyptian and semitic languages, and as a leading authority in a relevant native american language family, the author brings together evidence for an enlightening line of language history from nephi to now. Also featured is an analysis of interpreted names and their significance on determining the language of the plate stack. One study, however, holds promise for demonstrating links to the uto aztecan language family stubbs, 1988. Beesley and dirk elzinga did commendable work and a valuable service in producing the book an 1860 englishhopi vocabulary written in the deseret alphabet. Our utoaztecan language features utoaztecan vocabulary. Stubbs, exploring the explanatory power of semitic and egyptian in utoaztecan provo, ut. Linguist brian stubbs discusses some of his findings of both hebrew and egyptian the two languages mentioned in the book of mormon in the languages of the native indians in his 2006 fair conference address. Feb 11, 2015 this 435 page masterwork analyzes over 2,700 cognate sets from forty branches of the language family. Brian stubbs is a scholar of the utoaztecan language family, and house found many examples of. Utoaztecan language family why the lds church is true. There is only one person i know of qualified to answer this question. Feb 05, 2018 the methodological errors in thinking book of mormon locations ought to be identified today are thoroughly and insightfully addressed in a 1993 article by william hamblin, entitled basic methodological problems with the anti mormon approach to the geography and archaeology of the book of mormon journal of book of mormon studies 21 spring. Additional reading and context related to this badlingustics topic.
I think that if one does not know the utoaztecan language that was spoken 2500 years ago nor the precise mixutres of semitic languages that could have influenced the utoaztecan language at the time, i think that it is an assumption to use the language family in this case rather than the precise language. Brian stubbs summary of new book general discussions. It was not known in 1829, but later discoveries would show that mesoamerican civilization consisted of multiple written languages, incredibly large citystates and metropolises. The utoaztecan language family consists of some 40 language groups.
More relevant research has tentatively identified hundreds of possible links between uto aztecan languages in book of mormon territory with the ancient hebrew language work by brian d. Lets void the void, journal of book of mormon studies 5, no. A model for the book of mormon in baja language and. As a professional linguist, stubbs avoids the pitfalls of amateurs who simply point to similar words between two different languages. Brian stubbs utoaztecan website book of mormon mormon. The book of mormon text suggests that lehite language had a relatively minor impact on the speech of the americas. The uto aztecan language family of western north america the uto aztecan language family consists of some 40 language groups. Linguistics, utoaztecan language family, and the nephites. In these publications, stubbs purports to provide some insight into the unknowns of utoaztecan8 grammar and the historicity of the book of mormon by suggesting a longdistance linguistic genetic relationship between the protoutoaztecan language family and at. That the language of the book of mormon should resemble that of the kjv seems only natural, since in the time of the prophet joseph smith, the kjv was the most widely read book in america and formed the standard of religious language for most englishspeaking people see cwhn 8. His studies in comparative uto aztecan clarify a number of book of mormon language matters.
Grover publications, 2015, hereafter referred to as stubbs 2015, and brian d. He is a leading scholar and author on the utoaztecan language family. As has been noted, this language family extends from the shoshone on the north in montana to the aztecs of mexico and the pipil in central america see wikipedia, uto aztecan languages. The similarities between egyptian and utoaztecan words. Changes in languages from nephi to now book of mormon. Where are the descendants of the book of mormon people.
Stubbs, including a curious element in utoaztecan, the epigraphic society occasional papers, vol. Brian and his wife, silvia, are the parents of five children. In 2015 brian stubbs published a landmark book, demonstrating that utoaztecan, an american indian language family, contains a vast number of northwest semitic and egyptian loanwords spoken in the first millennium bc. Ethnologue gives the total number of languages in the family as 61, and the total number of speakers as 1,900,412.
Excerpts from the 400page book exploring the explanatory power of egyptian and semitic in utoaztecan. Utoaztecan languages are found almost entirely in the western united states and mexico. This map shows contemporary language family distributions in mesoamerica with utoaztecan in red. Response to the smithsonian institute statement on the book. He was editor of the journal of book of mormon studies for five years and is the author of more than two hundred books and articles.
Also on that page, i also quote matthew roper regarding the book of mormon term sheum for grain, which proves to. A model for the book of mormon in baja author beau anderson. The university of texas at arlington and summer institute of linguistics, 1977, 124, 126. Brian stubbs argues for a possible link between uto aztecan a family of about thirty native american languages and hebrew. Book of mormon language the encyclopedia of mormonism. As a mormon, do you believe that nahuatl is a semitic. Statements in the book of mormon have spawned differing views about the language in which the book was originally written. An american indian language family with middle eastern. Under the assumption that the majority of native americans descend from the peoples.
The language of the book of mormon exhibits features typical of a translation from an ancient near eastern text as well as the stamp of nineteenthcentury english and the style of the king james version kjv of the bible. Brian stubbs is a scholar of the utoaztecan language family, and. His coursework is in hebrew, arabic, egyptian, and aramaic. A journal of latterday saint faith and scholarship 34 2019. Utoaztecan shows us the language after the nephitemulekite merger, and we can see the nephite components, semiticp and egyptian, and the mulekite component, semitic. The difference between lehis and almas language brian. Book of mormonlanguagehebrew and native american fairmormon. Its among the worst attempts at linguistic analysis or comparison studies ive ever seen, or probably will ever see in my life. Dec 27, 2019 there is only one person i know of qualified to answer this question. Stubbs served a twoyear mission for the church of jesus christ of latterday saints speaking navajo. Though other language groups offer suggestive leads, uto aztecan yields more than seven hundred similarities.
Nibley, lehi and the arabs, in an approach to the book of mormon, 3rd ed. Brian stubbs, a leading scholar on the utoaztecan language family. Nahuatl was the language of the postclassic aztec empire headquartered at tenochtitlan in modernday mexico city. Utoaztecan shows us the language after the nephitemulekite merger, and we can see the nephite components. Testimony and learning line upon line is the way to increase your belief. This is because it is compiled by a religious adherent that is working backwards to prove a theory he already believes. While most of my focus is on the romance languages particularly spanish, portuguese, and latin, i have a great love for language in general.
Such observations surfaced during a threedecade effort to write the reference book utoaztecan. Utoaztecan proposal, journal of book of mormon studies 28 2019, 25867. A model for the book of mormon in baja author beau. As the author of important works on utoaztecan historical linguistics, he is not an. Their descendants, after surviving a devastating civil war, were swept off this peninsula about a. Response to the smithsonian institute statement on the. So as youth becomes a more distant memory, i end the fourdecade delay to share these findings, which, as both a semiticist and a uto aztecanist, i could not help but notice during three decades of writing the reference book uto aztecan.
Our uto aztecan language features uto aztecan vocabulary. Brian stubbss decades of exploration of the utoaztecan language has. Chris rogers, a byu professor who is likely himself a mormon has critiqued the theory proposed by brian stubbs that there is a connection between the semitic and utoaztecan languages, essentially characterizing it as nonsense fake linguistics intended to further a religious goal. Utoaztecan and mayan are not even in the same language family. The name of the language family was created to show that it includes both the ute language of utah and the nahuan languages also known as aztecan of mexico. This 435 page masterwork analyzes over 2,700 cognate sets from forty branches of the language family. This map shows contemporary language family distributions in mesoamerica with uto aztecan in red. This book shows the meaning in sumerian compound words of all of the unknown words and glossed words in the book of mormon, as well as looking at all other book of mormon names. Linguistic evidence for the book of mormon strong reasons. Linguistics, utoaztecan language family, and the nephites the next big thing in lds apologetics.
Apr 30, 2016 uto aztecan shows us the language after the nephitemulekite merger, and we can see the nephite components, semiticp and egyptian, and the mulekite component, semitickw. His book an ancient american setting for the book of mormon sets forth criteria that cannot be. An american indian language family with middle eastern loanwords. Jun 12, 2019 its among the worst attempts at linguistic analysis or comparison studies ive ever seen, or probably will ever see in my life. That the language of the book of mormon should resemble that of the kjv seems only natural. Excerpts from the 400page book egyptian and semitic in uto. His studies in comparative utoaztecan clarify a number of book of mormon language matters. Many unresolved questions in utoaztecan ua have eluded linguists for the century since sapir 19, 1915 established ua as a language family, and while the language ties in this title may seem unseemly to some, they explain more of uas previous. While brians proposal is, in my opinion, the most scientificallyverifiable evidence of the historicity of the book of mormon that has ever been presented, brian believes that the oldworld language influence found in utoaztecan is a result of language mixing and not necessarily the result of direct descent from oldworld languages.
However, ive heard critics exclaim that no a pinch of evidence exists for the book of mormon. Strong semitic and egyptian elements in utoaztecan languages by jeff lindsay has been published on the interpreter foundation. As has been noted, this language family extends from the shoshone on the north in montana to the. Overview of the uto aztecan indian languages, their history and distribution. Book of mormon, government and legal history in the. A comparative vocabulary is the largest in the field, double the size of previous works on comparative utoaztecan studies. Robertson, exploring egyptian and utoaztecan languages, interpreter. The difference between lehis and almas language brian stubbs. Egyptian and semitic in uto aztecan brian d stubbs, january 2015 many unresolved questions in uto aztecan ua have eluded linguists for the century since sapir 19, 1915 established ua as a language family, and while the language ties in this title may seem unseemly to some, they explain. Utoaztecan and hebrew language similarities really. Stubbs earned his masters degree in linguistics from the. Share this story along with the many other evidences of the utoaztecan language family. Brian stubbs on semitic origins of utoaztecan languages.
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