The FFF submethod states that words can be named by
Form, Feel, and Function.
- Some examples
of naming words by Form include (a) the leg of
a chair, (b) the handle of a pot, (c) the branch
of a family tree, (d) surfing the net or (e) brainstorming
Some of these examples illustrate naming objects by form while
other examples illustrate naming activities by form.
- A good punchy
example distinguishing naming by form vs. function is pentagon-UN.
The pentagon is named after the shape and form of the building
while the United Nations is named after the function and purpose of the building. Although both these buildings have as a purpose world peace they are named
differently.
- Examples of naming by feel/substance are
glasses, hardship, ironing-board, plaster etc.
The FFF principle is a special case of the literary techniques of
synechdoche-metonomy. These literary principles, universal to all languages,
state that items can be named by related items, by parts of those items, or by good
examples of those items. For example honey refers to anything sweet
since honey is a good example of something sweet. Similarly hot refers to matters of love since the two are related. Todays Rashi can best
be understood by applying these principles.
Biblical verse Lv13-55e refers to garments that are described in Hebrew as Kuph-Resh-Cheth-Tauv
or Gimel-Beth-Cheth-Tauv. The corresponding roots Kuph-Resh-Cheth and
Gimel-Beth-Cheth mean bald and humpy respectively. By using the triple FFF,
Form,Function, Feel principle we can understand that a bald garment would refer to a worn out
garment which has lost all its fu13 while by contrast humpy garment would refer to a new
(woolen) garment which by nature would have lots of protrusions of strands of wools resembling small humps. Such a naming of
garments is similar to the English naming of color by fruits with that color: e.g. an orange dress. Here we name
things by Form, that is the external characteristics such as color or the appearance or lack of
protrusions.
Advanced Rashi: There are two Rashis (Lv13-55e, Lv13-55f) commenting
on the meaning of the Hebrew terms Kuph-Resh-Cheth-Tauv and Gimel-Beth-Cheth-Tauv.
The first Rashi simply says Translated as indicated by the Targum. The second Rashi goes
into more details including exegetical comparisons to other leprous items. We believe our explanation above
consistent with the first Rashi referencing the Aramaic translation since Aramaic also used such literary terms.
We will explain the other Rashi on these meanings in another future
digest.
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