Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <brocine AT earthlink.net>]

Brian Tucker wrote:
> Greetings
>
> Thanks for the answers, I tried to expand on what I meant
below...
>
> > > I am primarily concerned about the "pronoun subject"
verses "pronominal
> > > element" understanding. Is this distinction important
enough to make an
> > > issue over?
> >
> > I think it depends on whether one is translating or
doing exegesis.
> > If translating into a language like English that
requires either a
> > nominal or pronominal subject, probably not.
Exegetically, there's
> > a difference between a clause that includes an explicit
pronoun and
> > one that simply has the subject's person gender and
number built
> > into the verb form.
>
> Could you expand on this answer a little. One person I am
working with
> is making an issue over the difference between pronoun
subject and
> pronominal element. He feels that pronominal element is
the correct
> label here, that it is not actually the pronoun subject.

"Pronominal element," while correct, does leave something to
be desired because it does not mention the pronominal
element is a subject.  How about "pronominal subject"?  I
see nothing wrong with "subject pronoun" or "prefixed
subject pronoun."  Maybe your student is simply wrestling
with how many and what kind of morphemes may be included in
one Hebrew word (as in one graphic cluster of letters).
Hope you are not in for a long semester!  ;-)

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13206

(office) 315.437.6744
(home) 315.479.8267