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  • From: Alberto Arena <semitics AT gmail.com>
  • To: "B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] The translation of ehyeh
  • Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2005 02:12:47 +0200

Dear Bryan,

I am new to b-hebrew, anyway as I said you privately your work is
worth of appreciation. I enjoyed your text-segmentation comments, but
I can't grasp fully why do you think that initial yiqtol would have a
*semantical* meaning different from dependent yiqtol. I suppose your
idea depends on textual analysis you made. In your analysis of Psa
107, e.g., you affirm that the use of sequential yiqtols means
volitive action, and so direct speech by YHWH. The same for Isa 52-53
translation as you gave us on this list.

Of course I agree that yiqtol can be used as volitive and/or modal.
But the idea that position of a verb form is critical to understand
its meaning is not fully convincent. I believe your model is
esentially based more on pragmatics than on semantics. Anyway, can
you give us more details? Thanks in advance

Regards,
Alberto Arena



2005/8/4, B. M. Rocine <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>:
> Hi Harold,
>
> Harold R. Holmyard III wrote:
>
> Alviero Niccacci wrote:
> >>Exod. 3:14a should then be translated: "I will be [first-place, volitive
> >>yiqtol: I promise I will be, i.e. for you] what I was [yiqtol for habitual
> >>past, i.e. or your Fathers]."
> >
> >
> > HH: To me this is odd translation, taking the same verb and giving it
> > two different interpretations within three words.
> >
>
> You are seeing the neatness of the Niccacci model. To him, the type of
> clause and the position within the clause are critical to understanding
> the meaning of a verb form. It would be great, if you would want to
> learn more about Niccacci to read his "A Neglected Point of Hebrew
> Syntax: _yiqtol_ and position in the sentence." Liber Anus (1987)
> 39:310-327. It may be available on the net.
>
> In summary, a yiqtol in first position (the first ehyeh) is volitional,
> but yiqtol in a dependent clause (the second ehyeh) expresses future or
> habitual past.
>
> I have studied all the weyiqtols in the Tanakh as a means of testing
> Niccacci's claims about clause-initial yiqtols and found them to be 98%
> volitional or ambiguous (IOW only 2% clear counter-examples).
>
> Shalom,
> Bryan
>
> --
> B. M. Rocine
> Living Word Chruch
> 6101 Court St. Rd.
> Syracuse, NY 13026
> (W): 315.437.6744
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