Hebrew Plene Spelling in Israeli Books: Does It Follow the Rules?

Based on our review of thirty-eight Hebrew books published by four Israeli companies in 1984–2004 as well as on interviews with editors working for these companies and perusal of the newspaper Maariv, the article demonstrates that the efforts of the Academy of Hebrew Language to impose uniform spelling of unvocalized Modern Hebrew have been only partially successful. When it comes to the decision to spell or omit the characters י and ו, both as consonants and matres lectionis, orthographic practice reflects the rules promulgated by the Academy only to a limited degree, with personal taste, judgment, and specific instructions of the chief editor playing the more important role. These findings have significant implications for the ongoing efforts to simplify and standardize orthography in Hebrew as well as in other modern languages.