Językowy obraz małego dziecka w tradycji polskiej i hebrajskiej klasycznej (na materiale wybranych perykop biblijnych)

In biblical Hebrew, the terms for children have a strong lexical representation: each of the lexemes used reveals a different aspect of childhood, relevant to a nomadic community whose language was shaped by the harsh conditions of wandering through the desert. Perhaps this is why this collection contains so many lexemes (nouns or participia) that precisely indicate the age and the degree of independence of a child. The author analyses selected Hebrew lexemes from the semantic fi eld CHILD starting from the names of the youngest children up to older and more independent ones in order to confront the results of the research with the depictions of children in selected Polish translations of the Bible. The analysis of vocabulary used to characterise children leads to the conclusion that although almost all the names originate from lexical roots containing the semantic component of care, attention, generosity, sacrifice on the part of parents and the community, the biblical texts foreground the great value of children as a foundation for a secure future of the whole society.