Translating word by word

In his words

This is the heart of his "secret". Reading an English paraphrase gives comprehension in bite-sized pieces but builds no skill: So I'm Englishizing what they just said. 23:21 His alternative: you have to click into the original text the way they wrote it, word by word 29:44. The languages are built differently. In English, you would say blue sky. In Hebrew and Aramaic, you say sky blue 22:28, and you only learn that by listening to each word.

He illustrates it with the story of a well-known actor who finished Daf Yomi three times with a translation and then couldn't get through one line alone, and who, after two years of learning word by word with him over the phone, made a siyum with his chavrusa (the story, 24:00).

Worked example from a class

The Gittin Mishnah, word by word (31:06): ha-mevi, "the one who brings"; get, "a divorce document"; mi-medinas hayam, "from outside Eretz Yisroel"; tzarich, "it is needed"; she-yomar, "that he should say"; b'fanai, "before me"; nichtav, "it was written". Then the class reads Hebrew and English together, without the paper (37:45). In the beginners' class students translate in turns, ahead of him: I'm going to call on different people to read and translate the word for us in advance of me saying it. 37:15

Hear him teach it

456 moments found so far in 437 transcribed classes; more appear as transcription continues. Tap one to play from that moment.

1. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 16, 2011 · 37:15“I'm going to call on different people to read and translate the word for us in advance of me saying it.”Students read and translate the familiar words in turns, ahead of the teacher.
2. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 21, 2011 · 49:42“Okay, good. Alright, Hebrew-English, please.”Students read each Hebrew word followed by its literal English, in turns.
3. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 28, 2011 · 41:56“OK, very, very good. OK, let's do Hebrew-English.”After reading the Hebrew alone, students do Hebrew-English, giving each word followed by its literal translation.
4. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 7, 2011 · 25:41“So toh means? Calm. Good. Shma? Here. H-E-A-R. Mos? Money.”Literal word-by-word translation of the numbered words on the word sheet.
5. Westwood · Advanced class, Dec 9, 2011 · 15:11“Okay, let's read Hebrew-English. Mark, go ahead. Eila, but rather.”A student reads each Aramaic word followed by its literal English.
6. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 12, 2011 · 19:26“Okay, terrific. Okay. Hebrew, English, Adam.”Has students read each Hebrew word followed by its English translation.
7. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 14, 2011 · 56:13“The literal translation of Bechol Shavashah means every hour.”Insists on the literal meaning of bechol sha'ah to test the time assumptions.
8. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 28, 2011 · 4:49“If the next word is a singular word, it's every. If the next word is a plural word, then it would be all.”Choosing the literal translation of kol from the grammar of the next word.
9. Westwood · Advanced class, Dec 30, 2011 · 17:10“So let's go through the Hebrew English this time.”Hebrew-English reading: each word followed by its literal English.
10. Westwood · Advanced class, Jan 1, 2012 · 51:01“Okay, let's do the Hebrew English. Lou, go ahead.”Students read each Hebrew word followed by its literal English.