Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Peter Kirk" <Peter_Kirk AT sil.org>]

Actually the issue between Shoshanna and the others here is not a
grammatical one but one of language learning. I guess that Shoshanna has
learned her Hebrew by more natural methods of talking and reading, not from
grammar books. Those of us who have learned from old style grammar books,
comparative Semitics etc base our understanding of Hebrew on abstract and
often reconstructed triliteral roots and stem/binyan types. But the native
speaker doesn't think in terms of a root BDL and a hiphil form, he or she
thinks, as Shoshanna has shown, in terms of a single verb MABDIL which has
particular inflections, and may not even recognise the connection between
different forms of the same root until this is pointed out. The same happens
to us English etc speakers in our own mother tongues; only a few days ago I
noticed the connection between two rather similar English words, obviously
related when you think about it.

Peter Kirk

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trevor Peterson [mailto:06PETERSON AT cua.edu]
> Sent: 13 December 2001 03:50
> To: Biblical Hebrew
> Subject: RE: Genesis 1:6
>
>
> What may be complicating the matter is that there is no attested
> form badal,
> which presumably would be the G verb from this root. There is the N
> nivdal/yibbadel, meaning "to withdraw; to go over to; to be
> excluded from; to
> be singled out." And there is the form seen here--the C
> hivdil/yavdil, meaning
> "to separate, divide from, make distinction; to separate; to single out,
> select." The ma- prefix is part of the formation of the C
> participle, which
> forms a maqtil pattern in strong roots (based on the paradigmatic
> root qatal).
> The C stem often indicates causation of the corresponding G verb,
> but since
> there is no G verb in this case, that's something of a moot issue. So I'd
> start out glossing it something like "that which separates."
>
> Trevor Peterson
> CUA/Semitics
>
> >===== Original Message From uri hurwitz <uhurwitz AT yahoo.com> =====
> > 1. Sorry, but BDL is the root of mavdil. Check any elementary  Heb.
> >grammer, specificially the Hif'il verbal form.
> > 2. The prepostion L need not be translated; check the very next verse,or
> >verse 4.                                                 Uri
> >
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