Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

Peter wrote:
> Thank you. To clarify the matter, as I see it there are two largely 
> separate issues here:
> 
> 1) Are there one or two prefix conjugations?
> 
> 2) Is the prefix on WAYYIQTOL the conjunction WE- or something 
> different?

Exactly.  That was why I suggested that my exchange with Henry 
was reaching the point where it covered two separate topics and 
was becoming a little unmanageable.

> My thinking on issue 1), based on Henry's phonological arguments and 
> even without looking at WAYYIQTOL (i.e. looking just at jussive and 
> full YIQTOL forms), is that there are two prefix conjugations.

I'm in the process of rethinking my ideas on that topic as well, 
though I haven't arrived at a conclusion yet.  Still sifting the data.

> Question 2) is I think still wide open, though I feel that if the 
> prefix is not simply WE-, it is most likely WE- plus some other 
> element (possibly analogous to the article, cf. the distinction 
> between B:YOWM and BAYYOWM).

And this question isn't necessarily affected by the outcome of 
question 1.  

Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"Oh, no!  They've all become giant Swiss lederhosen-clad
dancing yodelers!"  "Talk about unpredictable!" - P&B