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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Verbal Aspect (was Tenses - Deut 6:4)

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  • From: David Kummerow <farmerjoeblo AT hotmail.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Verbal Aspect (was Tenses - Deut 6:4)
  • Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 20:15:08 +1100

Hi Rolf,

There is consistency: qatal occurs with "yesterday" and never with "tomorrow" and yiqtol occurs with "tomorrow" and never with "yesterday". The uses of these verbs are entirely consistent and predictable if the language is tense-prominent. However, this is not the only feature of the language that is suggestive of tense. I repeated these features to Karl which I first spelt out to you so there's no need to again: https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/b-hebrew/2007-March/031687.html.

BTW, the choice of conjugations need not be a choice between two or four: weqatal may not be a separate grammaticalised verb different from qatal as Cook and Garr argue. Thus three may be an option also (leaving aside jussive etc).

Regards,
David Kummerow.


Dear David,

I agree with Karl that the clauses that fit your criteria are too few to
tell us much. Moreover, several different verb forms are used with the adverbs.

For example, in Genesis 30:33, Exodus 19:10, 1 Samuel 11:10 and 20:18 a QATAL with prefixed WAW (WEQATAL) is used with MXR. I take these as perfective, but you do not accept this. Then we are back to the basics, we need to find out whether there are two or four conjugations before the clauses with the mentioned adverbs can tell us anything. In Exodus 5:8 a participle isused with TMWL and in 2 Samuel 15:20 an infinitive is used. There is no consistency in the use of verbs.


Best regards,

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo






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