Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ken Penner" <pennerkm AT mcmaster.ca>]

> >3) Verbs where the characteristic cannot be blotted out by 
> the context.

> However, I remain sceptical that there are any verbs or other 
> words in 
> group 3, in any language. 

It seems to me that Rolf's example "sing" always has the characteristic of
dynamicity. It is not a state.
Similarly, "sing" and "continue" always have durativity. They can never be
instantaneous.
And "create" has telicity. There is an inherent end to the activity.
It seems to me that these "lexical aspects" are uncancellable.

But these "lexical aspects" are part of the lexical meaning of the verbs;
they are not conveyed by verbal inflection.

I am not as confident that any verbal inflection is uncancellable. We have
seen examples on this list of the English future tense used for the past
"that''ll be strike three", of the present used for the future e.g., "I
leave tomorrow". 

Ken Penner
McMaster/Hebrew

> And, even if there are group 3 verbs, I don't think you will 
> be able to 
> demonstrate this from biblical Hebrew.