Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Paul Zellmer <zellmer AT cag.pworld.net.ph>]

Rolf Furuli wrote:

> Dear Paul,
>
> Thank you for answering my Joshua question. Before I give my comments I
> would like to hear your view of two questions.
>

Rolf, I responded to the Joshua question because it dealt with a specific 
text.  I
have found pure philosophical discussions concerning the verb forms to be 
open-ended,
with neither side really being open to considering the other's points.  I 
deem this to
be the case because the discussions tend *not* to be discussing specifics 
about a
given text.  (This is also true, maybe even more so, when one side gives an 
extended
list of particular verses without dealing with the specifics of each case.)

No one can force you to give your comments, but I am not open to becoming 
involved in
a thread that has no hope of accomplishing anything.

> (2) I have earlier expressed on this list that a sentence initial position
> of a yiqtol suggests modality (jussive) while a medial position may either
> be indicative or jussive. A sentence initial position of a qatal may often
> indicate direct speech. Is there anything more you can teach me about word
> order? (Does "postpositive" mean "non-initial"?)
>

You interpreted my postpositive as I intended.  Quite honestly, I'm not part 
of this
list to try to convince reluctant scholars of my approach.  But, yes, I do 
think that
non-initial yiqtols and qatals do carry more meaning on the clause level than 
you have
seemed to indicate in the past.  (Please forgive me for this open-ended 
philosophical
statement.)

> Regards
> Rolf
>

And to you,

Paul

--
Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran
Ibanag Translation Project
Cabagan, Philippines

zellmer AT faith.edu.ph