[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo-2003-liss-undisclosed-speech-patterns-communication-book/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [docs](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/) / [papers](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/) / [Ancient Hebrew](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo/) / Undisclosed Speech: Patterns of Communication in the Book of Isaiah # Undisclosed Speech: Patterns of Communication in the Book of Isaiah **Authors:** Hanna Liss · **Year:** 2003 (JHS vol. 4, 2002) · **Venue:** Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 4, art. 4 **Link:** [jhsonline.org/index.php/jhs/article/view/5857](https://jhsonline.org/index.php/jhs/article/view/5857) · library `hbo-2003-liss-undisclosed-speech-patterns-communication-book` · **Licence:** [CC BY 2.5](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/) [**14** citations](https://openalex.org/works?filter=cites:W2075329204) openalex · 2026-10-18[Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 4](https://openalex.org/S2764683527)[licence](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/) - [Publisher's page](https://doi.org/10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4) - [PDF](https://jhsonline.org/index.php/jhs/article/download/5857/4910) - [DOI 10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4](https://doi.org/10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4) - [OpenAlex](https://openalex.org/W2075329204) **Authors (1)** 1. [Hanna Liss](https://openalex.org/A5075206423) h 3 · 59 citations · 76 works Citations and author metrics from openalex (2026-10-18); authors with the same name are not always told apart. ## What it is about An exegetical study of the "command not to comprehend" (Isa 6:9–10). Against the usual reading (a clear prophet facing a stubborn people), Liss argues that First Isaiah builds a deliberate structure of non-communication: the prophet speaks through metaphors that estrange (the rock of refuge turned stumbling stone), through quotations of his opponents set against God's word, and through fictive scenes, so that the message is meant to be understood only later, by readers of the written tradition. She contrasts this with Neo-Assyrian oracles, whose god promises clear, binding support to the king. The last part discusses implied author and implied reader in the transmission of the book. ## Ideas - I1. Quoted opponents: a prophet's speech that contains a quotation of the people ("you said: …") holds two voices; the speech reader should open an embedded quote with its own speaker rather than attribute it to the prophet. Nothing else for Mova at present: the paper is literary-theological, on Isaiah (outside the Torah trees), and gives no grammatical rule or measure. ## For Mova I1 applies to quote nesting in `tools/macula/src/prag.rs` (the `inner-frame` rule) and to `09-discourse.md` §4 (direct speech and its frames); in the Torah the same pattern occurs in Moses' speeches in Deuteronomy that quote the people. ## Cite The paper itself, not this card. BibTeX from the library's record of the work. [DOI 10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4](https://doi.org/10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4) ``` @article{liss2003undisclosed, title = {{Undisclosed Speech: Patterns of Communication in the Book of Isaiah}}, author = {Liss, Hanna}, journal = {Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 4}, year = {2003}, doi = {10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4}, url = {https://doi.org/10.5508/jhs.2002.v4.a4} } ``` - [← previous Hebrew Linguistics and Biblical Criticism: A Minimalist Programme](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo-2001-caen-hebrew-linguistics-biblical-criticism-minimalist/) - [next → From information structure, topic and focus, to theme in Biblical Hebrew](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo-2004-floor-information-structure-topic-focus-theme/) - [↑ back to Ancient Hebrew](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo/) ## References 7 references, 0 of them with a card of ours. ↗ leads to the work, «find» searches for one we have no id for yet. 1. Vol. II: Elements of Logic, ed. by Ch. Hartshorne u. P. Weiss, Cambridge/Mass. 2 1960, 2.274); see also Peirce, Semiotische Schriften, Vol. 1, ed. by Ch. Kloesel u. H. Pape, Frankfurt/M. 1986, p. 64.72ff. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Vol%2E+II%3A+Elements+of+Logic%2C+ed%2E+by+Ch%2E+Hartshorne+u%2E+P%2E+Weiss%2C+Cambridge%2FMass%2E+2+1960%2C+2%2E274%29%3B+see+also+Peirce%2C+Semiotische+Schriften%2C+Vol%2E+1%2C+ed%2E+by+Ch%2E+Kloesel+u%2E+H%2E+Pape%2C+Frankfurt%2FM%2E+1986%2C+p%2E+64%2E7) 2. See Aichele, G., Sign, Text, Scripture. Semiotics and the Bible, Sheffield 1997, esp. P. 62ff.; Eco, U., Lector in fabula. Die Mitarbeit der Interpretation in erzählenden Texten, München 1998, p. 31ff.; Eco, Semiotik 76ff.; Schönrich, G., Zeichenhandeln. Untersuchungen zum Begriff einer semiotischen Vernunft im Ausgang von Ch. S. Peirce, Frankfurt/M. 1990, p. 96ff. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+Aichele%2C+G%2E%2C+Sign%2C+Text%2C+Scripture%2E+Semiotics+and+the+Bible%2C+Sheffield+1997%2C+esp%2E+P%2E+62ff%2E%3B+Eco%2C+U%2E%2C+Lector+in+fabula%2E+Die+Mitarbeit+der+Interpretation+in+erz%C3%A4hlenden+Texten%2C+M%C3%BCnchen+1998%2C+p%2E+31ff) 3. See Morris, Ch. W., Grundlagen der Zeichentheorie. Ästhetik der Zeichentheorie. Mit einem Nachwort v. F. Knilli, Frankfurt/M. 1988, p. 20ff.; ibid., Zeichen, Sprache und Verhalten. Mit einer Einführung von K.-O. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+Morris%2C+Ch%2E+W%2E%2C+Grundlagen+der+Zeichentheorie%2E+%C3%84sthetik+der+Zeichentheorie%2E+Mit+einem+Nachwort+v%2E+F%2E+Knilli%2C+Frankfurt%2FM%2E+1988%2C+p%2E+20ff%2E%3B+ibid%2E%2C+Zeichen%2C+Sprache+und+Verhalten%2E+Mit+einer+Einf%C3%BChrun) 4. Apel, Düsseldorf 1973, p. 77ff. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Apel%2C+D%C3%BCsseldorf+1973%2C+p%2E+77ff%2E) 5. See e.g. Barth, H., Die Jesaja-Worte in der Josiazeit. Israel und Assur als Thema einer produktiven Neuinterpretation der Jesajaüberlieferung, Neukirchen-Vluyn 1977, p. 38ff.; Hayes - Irvine 123; Irvine, St. A., Isaiah, Ahaz, and the Syro-Ephraimitic Crisis, Atlanta 1990, p. 142ff.; Irvine, Isaiah’s She’ar-Yashub and the Davidic House, in: BZ NF 37, 1993, 78-88, p. 79; Steck, O. H., Bemerkungen zu Jes 6, in: ibid., Wahrnehmungen Gottes im Alten Testament. Ges. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+e%2Eg%2E+Barth%2C+H%2E%2C+Die+Jesaja%2DWorte+in+der+Josiazeit%2E+Israel+und+Assur+als+Thema+einer+produktiven+Neuinterpretation+der+Jesaja%C3%BCberlieferung%2C+Neukirchen%2DVluyn+1977%2C+p%2E+38ff%2E%3B+Hayes+%2D+Irvine+123%3B+Irvi) 6. Studien, München 1982, p. 149-170, 163f. incl. note 30. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Studien%2C+M%C3%BCnchen+1982%2C+p%2E+149%2D170%2C+163f%2E+incl%2E+note+30%2E) 7. See already the commentary by Abravanel ad loc. (Don Yizchaq Abravanel, Perush ‘al Nevi’im Acharonim, Pesaro 1511/12, Repr. Jerusalem - Tel Aviv 1976, ad. Loc. p. 62b.) [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=See+already+the+commentary+by+Abravanel+ad+loc%2E+%28Don+Yizchaq+Abravanel%2C+Perush+%E2%80%98al+Nevi%E2%80%99im+Acharonim%2C+Pesaro+1511%2F12%2C+Repr%2E+Jerusalem+%2D+Tel+Aviv+1976%2C+ad%2E+Loc%2E+p%2E+62b%2E%29)