Liturgical linguistics The syntax of communicating with the

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Liturgical linguistics: The syntax of communicating with the super-human agent in Judaism Tamás Bíró

Liturgical linguistics: The syntax of communicating with the super-human agent in Judaism Tamás Bíró Budapest, Hungary birot@nytud. hu, biro. tamas@hebraisztika. hu, birot@let. rug. nl, http: //www. let. rug. nl/~birot Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 1 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of Jewish liturgy – a generative linguistic approach • Blessings – why? • Conclusion Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 2 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of Jewish liturgy – a generative linguistic approach • Blessings – why? • Conclusion Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 3 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Prayer as communication (1) • A line in the Cognitive Science of Religion: –

Prayer as communication (1) • A line in the Cognitive Science of Religion: – Religious phenomena are related to their non-religious counterparts – But also involving super-human agents (SHA) • Methodology: – Make also use of the methodology describing their non-religious counterparts Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 4 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Prayer as communication (2) • Prayer: – Communication with super-human agents (SHA) – Hence:

Prayer as communication (2) • Prayer: – Communication with super-human agents (SHA) – Hence: employ results and models from linguistics • Compare to Mc. Cauley and Lawson (2000)’s model of rituals: SHA Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 5 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Prayer as communication (3) • I claim that prayer is: – A form of

Prayer as communication (3) • I claim that prayer is: – A form of language / communication – Organized along the (cognitive, mental and social) principles used by language in general – Has an overall structure known from language – Can be analysed using linguistic methodology … otherwise, it could not be evolutionarily stable • NB: for Mc. Cauley and Lawson (2000) prayer is not a ritual. Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 6 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of Jewish liturgy – a generative linguistic approach • Blessings – why? • Conclusion Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 7 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Constituents in syntax (1) • Similar distribution same category: I loved John loved I

Constituents in syntax (1) • Similar distribution same category: I loved John loved I kissed that girl. • Movement: That girl I I Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 loved. 8 / 26 that girl. Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Constituents in syntax (2) • Heads and complements S NP VP subject V NP

Constituents in syntax (2) • Heads and complements S NP VP subject V NP object I John Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 loved kissed 9 / 26 that girl Marry Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Constituents in syntax (3) • Movement S NP that girl I Origins of Religion,

Constituents in syntax (3) • Movement S NP that girl I Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 VP V NP loved [trace] 10 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of Jewish liturgy – a generative linguistic approach • Blessings – why? • Conclusion Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 11 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Structure of Jewish liturgy (1) Weekday: Shacharit Pesukei de-zimra Shma Amida Aleinu --- Amida

Structure of Jewish liturgy (1) Weekday: Shacharit Pesukei de-zimra Shma Amida Aleinu --- Amida Shma Amida Aleinu Shma Amida Torah Amida Aleinu Mincha Maariv Shabbat: Maariv Mincha Ashrei Kiddush levanah Psalm, blessing, Ve-hu rachum Kabbalat shabbat Ashrei, U-va le-Cion Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 12 / 26 else Aleinu Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Structure of Jewish liturgy (2) Four basic constituents: • Introduction: psalms, poems, etc. •

Structure of Jewish liturgy (2) Four basic constituents: • Introduction: psalms, poems, etc. • Shma / nothing / Torah reading lectio? • Amida (+ repetition) + Sometimes additional stuff: Hallel, Torah reading, Musaf, etc. • Closing section (always including Aleinu) Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 13 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Structure of Jewish liturgy (3) • Proposed structure: Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture

Structure of Jewish liturgy (3) • Proposed structure: Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 14 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Structure of Jewish liturgy (4) • Head and complement: – Head (Verb): Amida –

Structure of Jewish liturgy (4) • Head and complement: – Head (Verb): Amida – Complements (NP): Lectio (Shma, Torah reading, empty), Introduction, Closing section • How to interpret this? • In story grammars (Rubin, 1997): – Head (NP): episode, action – Complement (VP): setting Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 15 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Structure of Jewish liturgy (5) • Complements: – In story grammars: setting – In

Structure of Jewish liturgy (5) • Complements: – In story grammars: setting – In Jewish liturgy: Lectio, Intro, Closing section – Context: elaboration, religio-social context, religio-historical context • Head: – In story grammars: episode, actions – In Jewish liturgy: Amida (a series of blessings) – Speech act performed in J. liturgy is blessing! Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 16 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of Jewish liturgy – a generative linguistic approach • Blessings – why? • Conclusion Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 17 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Blessings (1) • Prayer, as the Temple service in the heart (Avoda ba-lev: Jer.

Blessings (1) • Prayer, as the Temple service in the heart (Avoda ba-lev: Jer. Talmud Berachot 29 ab, Bab. Talmud Taanit 2 a) • Temple sacrifice: feeding the SHA – Reversed parent-child relationship – Reversed agent-benefactor structure • What means blessing God? ? Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 18 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Blessings (2) • X blesses Y: – X helps Y, but beyond the human

Blessings (2) • X blesses Y: – X helps Y, but beyond the human capacity of X • Blessing is helping, – but involving superhuman agency • Blessing: – 1 st phase: the old Isaac blesses Jacob (SH-instr. ) – 2 nd phase: God blesses Abraham (SH-agent) – 3 rd phase: David blesses God (SH-beneficient) Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 19 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Blessings (3) • Prayer, as the Temple service in the heart – Sacrifice =

Blessings (3) • Prayer, as the Temple service in the heart – Sacrifice = feeding (physical act) – Blessing as prayer = helping (speech act) – Both: reversed agent-benefactor structure Agent = human agent Benefactor = superhuman agent Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 20 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Blessings (4) • In short: – Amida / blessings: the core of the prayer,

Blessings (4) • In short: – Amida / blessings: the core of the prayer, a speech act: • • Action = a special form of helping Agent = human Benefactor = God Instrument = speech – As in story grammars: action becomes head – Hence: Amida must be the head in liturgy + complements (context, setting, …) Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 21 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of

Overview • Prayer as communication with SHA • Constituents in syntax • Structure of Jewish liturgy – a generative linguistic approach • Blessings – why? • Conclusion, to do’s Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 22 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Conclusion • Structuralist analysis of Jewish liturgy • Parallels with natural language syntax –

Conclusion • Structuralist analysis of Jewish liturgy • Parallels with natural language syntax – In methodology – In results – Hence: in underlying cognitive structures? • Where does this leads us? Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 23 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

To do’s • Theory – Tests to identify constituents – Relationship between constituents •

To do’s • Theory – Tests to identify constituents – Relationship between constituents • Practice – Details of the structure of the Jewish liturgy • Apply to the liturgy of different religions • What is universal, where are differences? • How can these observations be explained using general cognitive principles? Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 24 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

“I hope I won’t remember this one tomorrow. ” (Anonymous) Origins of Religion, Cognition

“I hope I won’t remember this one tomorrow. ” (Anonymous) Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 25 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

Thank you for your attention! Tamás Bíró http: //www. let. rug. nl/~birot Origins of

Thank you for your attention! Tamás Bíró http: //www. let. rug. nl/~birot Origins of Religion, Cognition and Culture Aarhus, January 5, 2006 26 / 26 Tamás Bíró: Liturgical linguistics birot@nytud. hu, birot@let. rug. nl

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