Yehoshua Blau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yehoshua Blau
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| Born | 22 September 1919 |
| Died | 20 October 2020 (aged 101) |
| Occupation | Linguist |
| Children | 2 |
Yehoshua Blau (born September 22, 1919 – died October 20, 2020) was a very important Israeli expert in languages. He studied and taught about the Arabic language and its literature. He was a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Contents
Who Was Yehoshua Blau?
Yehoshua Blau was born in September 1919 in a city called Cluj in Romania. In 1938, when he was 19, he moved with his family to Mandatory Palestine, which is now Israel.
His Education and Early Life
Blau was a very dedicated student. In 1942, he earned a master's degree. He studied three important subjects: Hebrew, Arabic, and Biblical studies.
He got married to Shulamit in 1945. They had two children, a son and a daughter. His studies for a higher degree were paused for a short time. This was because he served in the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. He worked in an intelligence unit during this time.
After the war, he finished his studies. In 1950, he earned his PhD degree. His special project was about "The Grammar of Judeo-Arabic." This means he studied the rules of a special Arabic language used by Jewish people.
His Career as a Teacher and Professor
Before becoming a university professor, Blau taught at high schools. He also wrote several books about Hebrew grammar. These books helped people learn the rules of the Hebrew language.
He taught for a short time at Tel Aviv University. Then, in 1957, he started teaching at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He taught there until 1986. Even after he retired, he was still a professor. He helped and guided students who were studying for their advanced degrees. He continued to do this even when he was in his late 90s!
His Work with the Hebrew Language
Blau was a very active member of the Academy of the Hebrew Language. He joined this important group in the 1950s. This Academy helps keep the Hebrew language strong and modern.
He was even the president of the Academy from 1981 to 1993. He also helped edit the Academy's journal until 1999. A journal is like a special magazine where experts share their research.
Awards and Recognition
Because of his amazing work, Yehoshua Blau received many honors. In 1968, he became a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. This is a very high honor for scientists and scholars in Israel.
In 1983, he was also chosen as a "Corresponding Fellow" of the British Academy. This means he was recognized by a major group of experts in the United Kingdom.
Blau wrote many books and articles. These were about the Arabic and Hebrew languages. He also studied other Semitic languages, which are a group of languages that are related to each other. He wrote his works in Hebrew, English, and sometimes German.
See also
