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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] tenses - Ex 3:14

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  • From: "Rolf Furuli" <furuli AT online.no>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] tenses - Ex 3:14
  • Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2005 17:14:59 +0100


Dear list-members,

My analysis of the YIQTOLs (including the percentage of the total number of YIQTOLs) is as follows:

Past (including 5 examples of pre-past "pluperfect"): 1,027 7.5%
Present: 2,461 18.1%
Future: 4,841 35.5%
Modal: 5,117 37.6%
Present completed ("perfect"): 173 1.3%

I argue that in most cases when a YIQTOL has past reference, the reason for its use rather than a WAYYIQTOL, is that some word element precedes the YIQTOL. If the word order were changed, the YIQTOL would probably have become a WAYYIQTOL. The reason for this is not that WAYYIQTOLs are preterites or are perfective, but rather that the conjunction WAW plays a very important syntactical role in narratives and accounts with past reference.


Best regards

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo


So, it would seem that the numbers of YIQTOLs which are past, present
and future by Rolf's reckoning are each of the same order of magnitude.
I don't think Rolf has posted here his full statistics for YIQTOLs.
Perhaps he might like to now.





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