לָעַז
𐤋𐤏𐤆
lâʻaz
H3937 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To speak a language deemed foreign or unintelligible; to use incomprehensible or 'barbarian' speech, especially as perceived by native Hebrew speakers. The term may also convey the nuance of mocking or derisive speech via foreign-sounding words.
Semantic Range
to speak in a foreign tongue, to use incomprehensible or strange language, to utter 'gibberish', to speak with derisive or mocking intent via foreign speech
Root / Etymology
Root: לעז. The root carries the core sense of 'to speak a foreign language.' The verb לָעַז derives directly from this root, signifying to utter or communicate in a language that is not one's own, with the implication that the speech is strange or unintelligible to the hearer. The term is sometimes linked to the noun לָעַז ('foreign speech, gibberish') but is not etymologically connected to roots meaning 'to mock' though it overlaps in later usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, לָעַז appears sparingly and always in reference to incomprehensible or non-native languages, especially as heard by Israelites. The term reflects the ancient experience of foreignness through language; foreign tongues were often perceived as confusing or threatening (cf. Psalm 114:1). In later Rabbinic Hebrew, לָעַז came to refer generically to non-Hebrew languages, especially to Greek and Latin, and later to any non-Jewish vernacular, sometimes with a connotation of vernacular as opposed to sacred language. In modern Hebrew, la'az is used for foreign words themselves (loanwords). English translations sometimes fail to convey the undertones of otherness, unintelligibility, or alien engagement carried by this term, rendering it simply as 'strange language' or 'foreign language.' The nuance of mockery or derision is only present when the context suggests speaking in foreign sounds to ridicule or exclude.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to speak in a foreign tongue; strange language.
Bantu Hebrew
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לעז (l-ʿ-z) — to speak in a foreign language, to utter unintelligible speech
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3937-01 |
לֹעֵֽז | loez | HVqrmsa |
of strange language | foreign-tongue speaker | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3937-01 |
Psalms 114:1 | לֹעֵֽז | loez | HVqrmsa |
of strange language | foreign-tongue speaker |