Uzzi Ornan
Encyclopedia
Uzzi Ornan (born June 7, 1923) is an Israel
i linguist and social activist
. Ornan is a member of the Academy of the Hebrew Language
, professor of natural language
s computing
at the Technion and professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
. Ornan was a member of the Israeli Canaanite movement, founded by his brother Yonatan Ratosh
. He is the founder of the League against Religious coercion in Israel
and an active supporter of the separation of church and state
.
, and Paulia, a member of Poale Zion
. His parents immigrated to Mandate-era Palestine in 1919, as pioneers of the Third Aliyah
.
In his youth, Ornan was active in the Etzel
. In 1944 he was detained by the British authorities
. Subsequently he was deported to and imprisoned
in Eritrea
, Sudan
and Kenya
, where he was held until the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
and morphology
to other detainees. Back in Israel he published his method as Diqduq ha-pe we-ha-'ozen (Hebrew for "Grammar of Mouth and Ear"), which became a classic method for learning Hebrew grammar skills in high schools. He soon started studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he received his Hebrew Linguistics PhD in 1964. He served his alma mater as lecturer
and professor
until 1987. In 1979 he was elected as a member in the Academy of the Hebrew Language. Ornan headed its committee that set the standards for Hebrew punctuation
. In his research, he leaned to a formal approach. Throughout the years he became increasingly interested in natural language computing.
In 1987 he was a visiting professor at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
in Haifa
. He managed a laboratory for natural languages computing for its department of Computer Science
. He continues to teach and head a laboratory at the Technion to date. In the 1990s Ornan developed a new standard for the Latin
presentation of Hebrew (ISO-259-3), that allows for complete reversibility between the Hebrew and the Latin script. The standard was adopted by the International Organization for Standardization
.
Since the 1990s he has been active in the "I am Israeli" movement, which strives for equality among all Israelis, by dropping the nationality from the formal government registration of each citizen or revising the nationality to include "Israeli" as an option. To this end several appeals were submitted to Israeli courts.
, civil rights
, separation of church and state, and language.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i linguist and social activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
. Ornan is a member of the Academy of the Hebrew Language
Academy of the Hebrew Language
The Academy of the Hebrew Language was established by the Israeli government in 1953 as the "supreme institution for scholarship on the Hebrew language."-History:...
, professor of natural language
Natural language
In the philosophy of language, a natural language is any language which arises in an unpremeditated fashion as the result of the innate facility for language possessed by the human intellect. A natural language is typically used for communication, and may be spoken, signed, or written...
s computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
at the Technion and professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. Ornan was a member of the Israeli Canaanite movement, founded by his brother Yonatan Ratosh
Yonatan Ratosh
Uriel Shelach , better known by his pen name Yonatan Ratosh , was an Israeli poet and the founder of the Canaanite movement.-Biography :...
. He is the founder of the League against Religious coercion in Israel
Religious coercion in Israel
Religious coercion is the forced imposition of religious norms on the general public, or on parts pf the general population, while violating the freedom of religion and freedom from religion of the general public or of the individual...
and an active supporter of the separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
.
Biography
Ornan was born in Jerusalem as Uzziel Halperin, son of Yechiel Halperin, a Hebrew teacher and supporter of Chaim WeizmannChaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
, and Paulia, a member of Poale Zion
Poale Zion
Poale Zion was a Movement of Marxist Zionist Jewish workers circles founded in various cities of the Russian Empire about the turn of the century after the Bund rejected Zionism in 1901.-Formation and early years:Poale Zion parties and organisations were started across the Jewish diaspora in the...
. His parents immigrated to Mandate-era Palestine in 1919, as pioneers of the Third Aliyah
Third Aliyah
The third Aliyah refers to the third wave of the Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe who came inspired by Zionist motives between the years 1919 and 1923 . A symbol of the start of the third immigration wave is the arrival of the boat "Roselan" in the Jaffa Port on December 19, 1919...
.
In his youth, Ornan was active in the Etzel
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
. In 1944 he was detained by the British authorities
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Subsequently he was deported to and imprisoned
Irgun and Lehi internment in Africa
From 1944 to 1948, Irgun and Lehi men being held without trial at the Latroun concentration camp were deported by the British Mandate of Palestine authorities to internment camps in Africa, located in Sembel , Carthago, Sudan, and Gilgil...
in Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, where he was held until the Israeli Declaration of Independence.
Linguistic career
In the internment camps he taught Hebrew phonologyHebrew phonology
This article is about the phonology of the Hebrew language based on the Israeli dialect. It deals with current phonology and phonetics as well as with historical developments thereof, including geographical variants....
and morphology
Morphology (linguistics)
In linguistics, morphology is the identification, analysis and description, in a language, of the structure of morphemes and other linguistic units, such as words, affixes, parts of speech, intonation/stress, or implied context...
to other detainees. Back in Israel he published his method as Diqduq ha-pe we-ha-'ozen (Hebrew for "Grammar of Mouth and Ear"), which became a classic method for learning Hebrew grammar skills in high schools. He soon started studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he received his Hebrew Linguistics PhD in 1964. He served his alma mater as lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
until 1987. In 1979 he was elected as a member in the Academy of the Hebrew Language. Ornan headed its committee that set the standards for Hebrew punctuation
Punctuation
Punctuation marks are symbols that indicate the structure and organization of written language, as well as intonation and pauses to be observed when reading aloud.In written English, punctuation is vital to disambiguate the meaning of sentences...
. In his research, he leaned to a formal approach. Throughout the years he became increasingly interested in natural language computing.
In 1987 he was a visiting professor at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology is a research-intensive institute of technology in Haifa, Israel. Originally called the Technikum, it was founded in 1912...
in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. He managed a laboratory for natural languages computing for its department of Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
. He continues to teach and head a laboratory at the Technion to date. In the 1990s Ornan developed a new standard for the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
presentation of Hebrew (ISO-259-3), that allows for complete reversibility between the Hebrew and the Latin script. The standard was adopted by the International Organization for Standardization
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
.
Social activism and criticisme
In 1950 he founded the League Against Religious Coercion, in which he served as secretary and chairman until 1967. In the 1970s he was chairman of the Israeli Secular Movement. He is an opponent of circumcision. Arnon's remarks about religious coercion often led to complaints of Knesset members and human rights groups to incite violence. He said in an interview that "without a rebellion it is doubtful whether the religious coercion will change" to the reporter question about the nature of the rebellion Arnon answered "one that even involves suspending people on an electricity pole" On another occasion Arnon said to a religious Knesset member Nissim Zeev during a talk show: "You should be throw into the sea, and all your schools should be closed". Arnon corrected himself later he meant only to threw the schools to the sea, not the people, as one might understand.Since the 1990s he has been active in the "I am Israeli" movement, which strives for equality among all Israelis, by dropping the nationality from the formal government registration of each citizen or revising the nationality to include "Israeli" as an option. To this end several appeals were submitted to Israeli courts.
Books
- Grammar of Mouth and Ear, 1947
- Hebrew Syntax, 1963
- Dictionary of Forgotten Words, 1996
- The claws of AsmodaiAsmodaiAsmodeus or Asmodai is a king of demons mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit, in which he is the primary antagonist. The demon is also mentioned in some Talmudic legends, for instance, in the story of the construction of the Temple of Solomon. He was supposed by some Renaissance...
, 1999 - The Final Word, 2003
Articles
Uzzi Ornan has written many articles on equalitySocial equality
Social equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect. At the very least, social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and the...
, civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, separation of church and state, and language.
External links
- Personal website with articles (mostly in Hebrew)
- Uzzi Ornan at the Technion website