https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/106523 2026-05-16T01:29:26Z 2026-05-16T01:29:26Z Bohak, Gideon | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3894-7094 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/112990 2026-05-12T01:37:22Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

The Sentencing of Jesus (Gzar-dina de-Yeshu) Bohak, Gideon | https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3894-7094 This monograph offers a rich and insightful study of The Sentencing of Jesus, an ancient Jewish polemical narrative describing the trial and execution of Jesus, which is the earliest of all the Toledot Yeshu texts. The volume includes a substantial historical introduction, carefully edited synopses of the Aramaic, Judaeo-Arabic and Hebrew versions, detailed philological and exegetical notes on the text and its transmission history, and an English translation. In his comments, Bohak explores recurring themes in Late Antique literature—such as the apologetic and polemical uses of authentic or forged protocols of trials and executions, envisioning an enemy hanged on an unexpected tree, the humiliation of dragging a corpse through the streets for all to see, and the use of magical handbooks and of spells to heal or harm—shedding new light on the cultural and literary resonances of these motifs. Detailed linguistic analyses trace translations and mistranslations across Aramaic, Hebrew, and Judaeo-Arabic traditions. By reconstructing an ancient polemical text that has previously been known only in a fragmentary manner, and by situating it both within its Late Antique context and in the context of previous scholarship, this book makes a significant contribution to the study of Judaism, and of Jewish-Christian relations, in Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z German, Gary D. https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/112989 2026-05-12T01:37:15Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Benjamin Franklin, Orthoepist and Phonetician German, Gary D. Benjamin Franklin has been hailed as an inventor, scientist, printer, author, philosopher, diplomat, philanthropist and political activist and, especially, a founding father of the United States, but few are aware he was also a phonetician. This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of Franklin’s little-studied linguistic legacy—his Reformed Mode of Spelling (1768/1779). In this short treatise, Franklin outlined a plan for a radical, phonetically-based modernization of the English spelling system that would simultaneously serve as a pronunciation guide for what he envisaged to be 'correct' English as well as a practical scheme allowing the unlettered and foreigners to learn to read and write ‘within a week’. The social and sociolinguistic reasons for its inception as well as what that model entailed linguistically are the focus of this book.Moreover, while Franklin’s fascination with English orthographic reform is known among specialists, previous studies have rarely taken his reform seriously. This is the first comprehensive linguistic analysis of his phonetic system within the broader historical and sociolinguistic context of early American English, a study which also includes comparative analyses of 17th and 18th century English varieties. Drawing on an impressive array of archival and manuscript sources—some previously unknown—Gary German reconstructs Franklin’s linguistic environment and investigates how his proposed spelling reform functioned as both a phonetic guide as well as a political and cultural statement.The book employs a robust historical sociolinguistic methodology which, for the first time, distinguishes between Franklin’s native American pronunciation and that proposed in his RMS. The data presented offer a persuasive answer to the question of whether his model was ‘English’ or ‘American’ while also exploring speaker networks and personal correspondence to trace linguistic patterns.This study is a vital contribution to historical linguistics, American studies, and the growing field of World Englishes. With its detailed analysis and interdisciplinary appeal, it sheds new light on both Franklin’s intellectual world and the complex phonological landscape of early American-English. It is essential reading for linguists, historians, and anyone fascinated by the roots of American English.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z German, Gary D. https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/112988 2026-05-12T01:37:48Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Benjamin Franklin, Orthoepist and Phonetician German, Gary D. Benjamin Franklin has been hailed as an inventor, scientist, printer, author, philosopher, diplomat, philanthropist and political activist and, especially, a founding father of the United States, but few are aware he was also a phonetician. This volume offers a groundbreaking exploration of Franklin’s little-studied linguistic legacy—his Reformed Mode of Spelling (1768/1779). In this short treatise, Franklin outlined a plan for a radical, phonetically-based modernization of the English spelling system that would simultaneously serve as a pronunciation guide for what he envisaged to be 'correct' English as well as a practical scheme allowing the unlettered and foreigners to learn to read and write ‘within a week’. The social and sociolinguistic reasons for its inception as well as what that model entailed linguistically are the focus of this book.Moreover, while Franklin’s fascination with English orthographic reform is known among specialists, previous studies have rarely taken his reform seriously. This is the first comprehensive linguistic analysis of his phonetic system within the broader historical and sociolinguistic context of early American English, a study which also includes comparative analyses of 17th and 18th century English varieties. Drawing on an impressive array of archival and manuscript sources—some previously unknown—Gary German reconstructs Franklin’s linguistic environment and investigates how his proposed spelling reform functioned as both a phonetic guide as well as a political and cultural statement.The book employs a robust historical sociolinguistic methodology which, for the first time, distinguishes between Franklin’s native American pronunciation and that proposed in his RMS. The data presented offer a persuasive answer to the question of whether his model was ‘English’ or ‘American’ while also exploring speaker networks and personal correspondence to trace linguistic patterns.This study is a vital contribution to historical linguistics, American studies, and the growing field of World Englishes. With its detailed analysis and interdisciplinary appeal, it sheds new light on both Franklin’s intellectual world and the complex phonological landscape of early American-English. It is essential reading for linguists, historians, and anyone fascinated by the roots of American English.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Heller, Richard F. | https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3161-5967 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/112987 2026-05-12T01:37:03Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Distributing Knowledge Heller, Richard F. | https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3161-5967 Inequity is deeply embedded in higher education: in who can access learning, whose knowledge is created and valued, who gets published, and who ultimately benefits from universities’ work. Distributing Knowledge argues that the sector is falling short of its public mission—and that incremental reform is no longer enough.Drawing on research, policy analysis, and real-world examples from across the globe, Richard Heller presents a compelling case for a distributed model of higher education designed to promote knowledge equity. The book shows how corporatisation, managerialism, and commercial control of educational technology and academic publishing have narrowed participation, reinforced global inequalities, and weakened universities’ ethical foundations. At the same time, it highlights the opportunities offered by digital technologies, Open Education, and collaborative knowledge creation to reverse these trends.This volume introduces a practical framework for distributing knowledge more equitably—across its creation, publication, and delivery—grounded in core values of justice, autonomy, sustainability, and public good. It explores how open publishing, Open Educational Resources and Practices, distributed education structures, inclusive research practices, and supportive decentralised digital infrastructure can widen access, reduce carbon footprints, and amplify under-represented voices. Each chapter concludes with concrete steps to guide institutions, policymakers, and educators towards meaningful change.Ultimately, this book is both a critique and a call to action. It challenges universities to re-imagine their role in society and offers a realistic pathway for transforming higher education into a more ethical, inclusive, and sustainable system—one capable of distributing knowledge in ways that genuinely reduce inequity and respond to the urgent challenges of our time.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z