Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Studium Biblicum Franciscanum <sbfnet AT netvision.net.il>]

On  05/24/99 (Verbless clauses) Matthew Anstey wrote:


> Gday all,
>
> I emailed on the B-Hebrew list several months back about glossing verbless
> clauses for a computerised Hebrew-English interlinear we are working on. We
> have decided at this stage to gloss sentences such as "The man is good" as
> "The man [is] good". This is rather than "The man is good" or "The man
> good". However, we would just like some more technical linguistic advice as
> to the placement of the [is] in the interlinear. It has to be attached to
> either "the man" or "good." So the two options are (the full-stops indicate
> connection):
>       1. the.man [is].good
>       2. the.man.[is] good
>
> What are the opinions of linguists (and others) on the list as to which is
> more linguistically accurate?  Likewise, with this sort of sentence (Gen
> 2.19), what is best:
>       1. that.[was] its.name
>       2. that [was].its.name
>
> One final example from Eze 28.3:
>       1. wiser you.[are] than.Daniel
>       2. [are].wiser you than.Daniel
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> With regards
> Matthew Anstey
> on behalf of Summer Institute of Linguistics


Dear Matthew Anstey,

a clause like *Tob ha'adam* is complete in itself; nothing is missing. Its
English translation is "the man is good". In the English sentence "IS" is
needed. Therefore "IS" should not be put into brackets--it belongs to the
English idiom; it does not add anything to the Herbrew clause.
Because "IS" is part of the predicate in the English translation, it should
be connected with "GOOD" because *Tob* is the predicate in the Hebrew
clause. Therefore I would suggest: "3. The man is.good".

Peace and all good to you and the SIL members.

Alviero Niccacci



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