Anthon Jason
Just because one could not pronounce one word the same way, resulted in the death of forty-two thousand Ephraimites. This event is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Judges 12:5-6. The word, “shibboleth”, was used to distinguish the Gileadites and Ephraimites. These two tribes of Israel were at war at the time, and this word became a linguistic test to differentiate between us and them, between friends and enemies. Those who could not pronounce “shibboleth” correctly (saying “sibboleth” instead) were identified as enemies and slaughtered. This ancient practice demonstrates the historical precedent for using language as a tool of identification and exclusion. Throughout history, similar linguistic markers have been employed during conflicts and social tensions to distinguish between insiders and outsiders. This is the historical context of how language polarized society was presented by Dr. Michael R. Quinlan at the CRCS-ICRS Wednesday Forum on February 26, 2025.
