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b-hebrew - Re: Re[4]: More ?'s about verbs

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  • From: "Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Re[4]: More ?'s about verbs
  • Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 19:34:56 -0700


Peter,
> No, Dave, you did not use these terms. Rodney wrote "to start a new
> story, to pick up after some digression in a story", which suggests to
> me he was thinking of major breaks. You seem to agree with me, against
> Rodney's suggestion, that these are not signalled by WAYYIQTOL.

I suppose it depends in large measure on how one defines "major
break." My working definition of this is a break between
paragraphs, episodes, volumes, that sort of thing. Perhaps if you
offer your definition, we can come up with a good working one that
we can use as a starting point for further discussion?

> However, in your translation you used full stops (periods), which
> suggests that you had in mind significant breaks. You may not wish to
> describe these breaks as "major", perhaps you are right.

A period signals a sentence break, nothing more. At least that's
how I use it. Again, I would consider "significant breaks" more
than just sentence breaks.

But my point
> is that WAYYIQTOL does not express a break of any sort but rather a
> continuation, and so your translation with full stops is misleading.

But this is precisely what I argue against! I have yet to see
conclusive evidence that it expresses "a continuation." And in fact
I have shown again and again that there are plenty of instances
where it can't possibly be a continuation, so I'm afraid I have to
suggest that you're assuming what you set out to prove here. If I've
missed something, please correct me.

> Also you wrote "does this story provide a full acount of usage of the
> wayyiqtol? Hardly." I agree with you, but in the context you did seem
> to be suggesting support for Rodney's point by hinting at another use
> of WAYYIQTOL in accordance with his suggestion. It is now clear that
> you do not support Rodney's point. Thank you for the clarification.

I must have missed something in what Rodney wrote. In any case,
we know that wayyiqtol can be used in narrative, to begin an
episode, to begin a book, to resume after an aside, to open a
change of setting or situation, and that's just to name a few. I seek
a unified field of meaning that accounts for all these variations.
Sometimes I get the feeling I'm the only one doing so...{pause to
feel sorry for self} :-)


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.
Psalm 86:11




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