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  • From: Richard Benton <rcbenton AT wisc.edu>
  • To: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] HITPAEL as middle voice
  • Date: Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:22:52 -0500

This statement demonstrates how difficult it is to classify the Hitpael. If the Hitpael is a middle, and a middle is "a case where the actor is not a "real" actor," then we would not expect the Hitpael to have "real" actors. However, you are claiming that in 2 Sam 13:6, Ammon is unquestionably an actor.

On a related point, we only know that Ammon acted ill. He may or may not have actually become ill. This is common for the Hitpael. GDL in the Hitpael can mean making oneself appear to be mighty (even if one isn't) in Isa 10:15, or it can mean acting mighty when one really is mighty in Ezek 38:23. In both cases, though, the subject is acting mighty. We can say that the axe in Isa 10:15 is making himself great (although he doesn't actually become great), but is God making himself great in Ezek 38:23? The impression I get is that in both cases the subject is demonstrating that he/it is great.

We find this use of the middle in other languages. (I don't have the examples at hand, but they are in Kemmer's book that I mentioned earlier.) In these cases, therefore, I think the Hitpael is functioning as a middle.

Richard Benton

Isaac Fried wrote:
What is possibly meant by "middle voice" is a case where the actor is not a "real" actor, for instance, HA-BASAR HIT-BA$EL BA-SIR, literally meaning 'the meat cooked itself in the pot'.
There is no question that WA-YIT-XAL of 2 Samuel 13:6, is 'and he made himself ill'. If )AMNON entirely faked and pretended (HIT-XAZAH), or if he aided the show with a draught of castor oil is not revealed to us, and is beyond mere grammar.
Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Apr 1, 2009, at 2:38 PM, Richard Benton wrote:

Not all can be interpreted as reflexive. One clear passive is Qoh 8:10 $kx. A common use of the Hitpael is "act like" something, such as xlh in 2 Sam 13:5-6. I wouldn't say that this would be a reflexive, but maybe more of a middle sense.

I believe Russian has some -sya verbs that could not be translated as reflexive.

For a definition of "middle" I refer to Suzanne Kemmer's (1993), "The middle voice."

Richard Benton

Vadim Cherny wrote:
IMO, all instances of hitpael in Hebrew are reflexive: doing something to someone or, more specifically, to cause someone to cause something. That is the only plausible interpretation of the suffix ht = hh, two casuatives (double hiphil, so to say).
That sense of reflective action is obfuscated in translation because equivalent English words lack the sense of reflexion, but I venture that careful examination shows such sense for every hitpael.

Vadim Cherny

Isaac Fried wrote:

In present day Hebrew the BINYAN of HITPAEL is often used for mutual action, for example, HIT-XABQ-U, 'they embraced, XBQ, each other'. Is there an instance of similar usage in the Hebrew bible?

Isaac Fried, Boston University




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