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b-hebrew - Re[2]: over and under-specification

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Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

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  • From: Peter_Kirk AT SIL.ORG
  • To: ronning AT ilink.nis.za, b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re[2]: over and under-specification
  • Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 11:14 -0500 (EST)


I'm not sure how relevant this is to John's question, but (as Rolf
pointed out recently in a separate thread) it seems that many
languages including Hebrew use a past form in irrealis conditional
sentences, and also in ones where the condition is only implied. In
English one can even say "Tomorrow's meeting would/could have been
difficult" (in the context that we have just heard that some problem
has been solved). Similarly one could translate Genesis 18:12 with a
"Could I...?" type question - past in form. So perhaps the suffix
tense here is this past form with irrealis meaning.

Peter Kirk




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