Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lee R. Martin" <lmartin AT vol.com>]

Dave Washburn wrote:

> Bryan wrote:
> > An idea:  Sequence and perfectivity are inseperable.  A verb form's
> > perfectivity creates sequence because perfectivity makes visible an entire
> > situation, beginning, duration, and most significantly, END.  In order to
> > create a sequence of events, each successive event's end must be visible.
>
> Yes this is true.  However, I would argue that perfectivity does not
> necessarily make sequence necessary.  IOW, it's easy enough to
> have a perfective statement or series of statements that are not
> sequential.  Hence, I would modify this statement to say that
> "sequence requires perfectivity, but perfectivity does not require
> sequence."

Dear Bryan and Dave,
I do not believe either of your statements is true.
Perfectivity does not require sequence, neither does sequence
require perfectivity. There are many other elements in the sentence and in
the broader narrative that allow for sequence.
Perfective statements may be used out of sequence, or as background, etc.
Greek often uses the imperfective in narrative sequences.  The so-called
"inceptive" imperfect is a good example.

Lee R. Martin
Pastor, Prospect Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee
Instructor in Hebrew and Old Testament
Church of God Theological Seminary
http://www.earth.vol.com/~lmartin/