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  • From: "Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Gen 4:1, X + qatal (Bryan)
  • Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 17:23:55 -0700


Bryan wrote in response to John:
> As we
> > > analyze any one clause which seems to move forward the story time, the
> > > question is what mechanism or combination of mechanisms moves the story
> > > time forward. In BH the wayyiqtol can do it by virtue of its inherent
> > > meaning. I suppose the X-qatal may do it exceptionally by virtue of
> the
> > > reader's world knowledge, the reading process itself, and maybe some
> other
> > > stuff.
> >
> > Bryan, I think one could say about the wayyiqtol form what you are saying
> about the X
> > + qatal. I.e. the fact that the vast majority of verbs used to carry
> forward the
> > story line are wayyiqtols is dictated by something other than the
> inherent meaning of
> > the form.
>
> Well, I don't hang all my hats on statistical analysis of BH verbs, but we
> are talking about overwhelming statistics here. X-qatal expresses sequence
> a small minority of the time--no real surprise. It is used to express
> simultaneity or anteriority of situations most of the time. It is used to
> create a temporal frame into which a narrative fits many times. On the
> other hand, we see less than 3% wayyiqtol which do not express sequence and
> which cannot be explained. These aren't pretty good indications of
> inherent meaning? I.e., my conclusion that X-qatal does not inherently
> express sequence is based on a small percentage of times that it does. My
> best guess, that wayyiqtol does inherently express sequence, is based on
> the tiny percentage of times that it does not.

Yes, but my question still stands: does that mean that sequence
is a *necessary* feature of the verb form, or does this statistic
come about because it's a verb form that simply happens to lend
itself well to narrative? If one argues that it is a necessary feature,
then one needs to explain how one arrives at such a conclusion
(using evidence beyond mere statistics).

> Liike I said, I am not totally sold on this type of statistical analysis,
> primarily because our corpus is a relatively small sample of a language.
> So I do have a question: what ratio of positive attestations to
> counter-examples invalidates a conclusion? Is 90% good enough for a solid
> conclusion? 95%? 98%? We'll never get 100% on anything will we? (I feel
> like I am Abraham bargaining for the salvation of Sodom and Gomorrah. ;-)

To my mind, counter-examples (that aren't in poetry) suggest
there's something wrong with the hypothesis. It may be something
minor, it may be something major, but the presence of a fairly
significant number of examples that don't fit the profile (whatever
one considers "significant") suggests that the profile itself needs re-
examination.

Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
A Bible that's falling apart means a life that isn't.




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