Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

In regards to slip-ups during "classroom immersion" into BH:

vayyiktov 'eleynu Randy:
"Especially common slip-ups are `axshav for `atta "now" and
ken as "yes" instead of echoing the salient word. ("Are you
happy with
that?" Ans: "Happy" [not 'yes'].) But students are certainly
learning
more than if the time was all spent in English."

BR:
probably bappa`am hazzo't or bayyom hazzeh would be better
for English's temporal "now" (Israeli Hebrew's `axshav)
since `attah usually points more to a necessary conclusion
(like "as a result..." or "in consideration of the previous
information...") than a moment in time.

I would think that the teacher who is fluent in Modern
Hebrew would slip into over-use of the X-qatal syntax for
story telling.  Is this a common slip up, too?  Do you think
the teachers have internalized the funcitonality of the
vayyiqtol/X-qatal alternation or do you think the influence
of the modern Hebrew is too ingrained to do so?

How important do you think it is for the teacher of BH to
internalize the fine points of BH word order, ala (for
example) Lars Lode's conclusions about post-verbal word
order?

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
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