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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 37:15

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  • From: "Vadim Cherny" <VadimCherny AT mail.ru>
  • To: "Peter Kirk" <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 37:15
  • Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:38:30 +0300

I recall that "will" acquired its future tense auxiliary role in ME. Thus, at some point it shared functions of independent verb abd tense auxiliary. At that time, "What wilt thou?" is a close analogy to idiomaically employed future tense in Hebrew.

The verb "will" certainly had two different uses, one as a future auxiliary and one as an independent verb. Both uses are common in the King James Bible. But the two uses are clearly distinct, already by 1611, both in syntax (the future auxiliary has no "to" before the following verb, which is mandatory with the independent verb form)

but there is no "to" in "What wilt thou?"

and in meaning. It would be possible to translate Genesis 37:15 into King James English with "What does thou will?" or "What wilt thou?", but the syntax as well as the context indicates that this is not the future auxiliary "will" but the independent verb "will".

If I recall correctly, "will" as future aux is attested from the 14th century. For some time, "will" was not specialized, and continued predominantly as a verb, with some usage as future aux. "What dost thou will" is not future tense, but it is, so to say, future-oriented, as a desire. And that sense of future is preserved both in Gen37:15 and in its Russian translation что изволите.

Vadim Cherny





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