View source for Agron (dictionary)

{{Short description|Lexicographical reference book for payṭanim}}
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'''''The Agron''''' ({{Langx|he|הָאֶגְרוֹן|hā-ʾEḡron}}) was [[Saadia Gaon]]'s first work, completed in 913{{nbsp}}CE, when he was 20 years old.<ref name=JewishEncyclopedia>{{Cite Jewish Encyclopedia |url=http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12953-saadia-b-joseph-sa-id-al-fayyumi|article=Saadia B. Joseph|accessdate=20 October 2013}}</ref> The book is also known by its [[Judeo-Arabic]] name {{lang|he|אצול אלשער אלעבראני}} "The Rudiments of Hebrew Poetry". ''The Agron'' is not a Hebrew language dictionary; it does not define the different meanings of words or radicals. Instead, it is a lexicographical reference book for [[paytan|payṭanim]], which includes in its first section words arranged alphabetically by first letter for use in making acrostics at the beginning of the poetic line; in the second section are words arranged alphabetically by last letter (syllable), for use in making rhymes at the end of the poetic line. The work consisted of two parts and was intended to be used in versification, in which acrostics and rhyme were the chief requisites. In a later edition, Saadia added the Arabic translation of each word, and also included passages concerning various "memorable subjects of the poets," and named the work in its new form "''Kitab al-Shi'r''." The Arabic introduction to the second edition and the Hebrew preface of the first have been in great part preserved.<ref>[[Abraham Harkavy]], "''Studien''," v. 39-59</ref> Saadia's ''The Agron'' is considered a dictionary because in his preface he described himself and his work as the "collector" and collection of the Hebrew language.<ref>{{cite web|title=הפריצה הראשונה: 'ספר האגרון'|url=https://kotar.cet.ac.il/kotarapp/index/Chapter.aspx?nBookID=38231991&nTocEntryID=38303455|access-date=2021-11-04|website=kotar.cet.ac.il|language=Hebrew}}</ref>

The word ''agron'', as {{ill|אגרון|he|אגרון}} entered Hebrew to refer to [[thesaurus]] texts which also define words for practical use.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081101232724/http://wiki.wgalil.ac.il/index.php/%D7%AA%D7%96%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A1|url=http://wiki.wgalil.ac.il/index.php/%D7%AA%D7%96%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A1|archive-date=1 November 2008|website=Galilee Database|title=תזאורוס|language=Hebrew}}</ref> A 2006 lookup database which distributed personal details of millions of Israelis stolen from government records was also called {{ill|Agron (database)|lt=Agron|he|אגרון_(מערכת_מידע)}}.<ref>{{cite news|last=Glickman|first=Aviad|date=2011-10-24|title=Agron 2006 Population Registry data theft exposed|work=Ynetnews|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4138387,00.html|access-date=2021-11-04}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Moses Shirvani]]
* [[Rhyming dictionary]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Jewish medieval literature]]
[[Category:Hebrew dictionaries]]
[[Category:Hebrew words and phrases]]


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