> I see two possibilities here; perhaps there are more. (1) One is that
> Jonathan is quite right: Luke is using GLWSSA in vs. 11 to mean the same
> thing as DIALEKTOS in vs. 8. In fact, that may be the case anyway, unless
> perhaps we understand GLWSSA as the generic word for language and DIALEKTOS
> as a word for "vernacular" that can overlap in meaning with GLWSSA and
> therefore sometimes be used synonymously. (2) The other is that all these
> IOUDAIOI TE KAI PROSHLUTOI from the Jewish Diaspora who are together here
> in Jerusalem, according to Luke, are in fact not speaking and hearing
> different LANGUAGES, but different DIALECTS of Koine Greek?
I don't know anything about the languages spoken at that time. Was Koine
widespread as a *native* language among Jews? I don't think that a lingua
franca would be "our own DIALEKTOS", I think it would have to be their
native language. To what extent were Hebrew and Aramaic the native languages
of Jews of this period?
How much do we know about the languages spoken at this time? I remember
hearing there was some controversy as to whether Jesus would have taught in
Koine vs. Aramaic.
Jonathan
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