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b-hebrew - Re[2]: <wayyiqtol> & attempts at English descriptive grammar

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  • From: peter_kirk AT sil.org
  • To: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re[2]: <wayyiqtol> & attempts at English descriptive grammar
  • Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 02:36:30 -0500


Thanks, Ian. I wondered what you would have to say on this discussion,
and I think you have come up with a good one, as follows: If all the
linguists who are studying the English language, with the help of
100's of millions of native speakers, can't come up with a proper
analysis of the English tense/aspect/modality system, what chance is
there for a few analysts of Hebrew with no native speakers? OK, the
English system is very complex, but then so (in different ways) is the
Hebrew one, apparently. Counsel of despair? I hope not. But it should
warn us not to expect simple answers. On the other hand, plenty of
people (and not just the native speakers) seem to be able to
understand English well, so maybe we should quit the analysis and try
to read the texts for what makes sense in the context.

Peter Kirk


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Subject: Re: <wayyiqtol> & attempts at English descriptive grammars
Author: <mc2499 AT mclink.it> at Internet
Date: 02/01/2000 23:02


This is an irrelevant comment on a side issue of the wayyiqtol discussion.

I find there are problems with these descriptive grammarians' views of
English. For example, in the sentence:

<snip>




  • Re[2]: <wayyiqtol> & attempts at English descriptive grammar, peter_kirk, 01/03/2000

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