Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

> Shalom
> 
> Thanks for the help the last few days, I have been preparing for a lesson 
> that I am to give tonight on the Suffix Conjugation (perfectivity, etc.). 
> Rolf, Kimmo, Dave as well as others have been very helpful.
> 
> What I would like is some guidance on what is the most important thing to 
> get across, as well as, any other pedagogical ideas.
> 
> The class will have WO in front of them.

1. Advise them that aspect is not the way to understand the verbal 
system, but neither is tense.

2. Suggest that they look for connections with what precedes, 
specifically syntactic connections such as apposition, adverseness 
("but..."), preceding temporal indicator, subordination and the like.  

3. Suggest that they look at modality, especially in contrast to the 
other "tenses."  In particular, have them check out the modal 
differences between the suffix conjugation (realis mode) and the 
prefix conjugation (irrealis mode, including future).  For more on 
this, see Galia Hatav's excellent book.

With these factors in hand, you'll notice a unified field of usage of 
the suffix conjugation without all the convolutions of WO.

Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
"In the face of an obstacle which is impossible to
overcome, stubborness is stupid."  Simone de Beauvoir