Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>]

On 16/03/2007 19:44, David Kummerow wrote:

> ... weqatal is used in cosubordinate 
> constructions where it inherits its tense, aspect, mood, and 
> illocutionary force from the preceding main clause. ...

This is an interesting way of putting things which might clarify what I 
wrote before about WEQATAL.

Would you suggest something similar about WAYYIQTOL? We might then argue 
that the function of the prefixed vav is to neutralise the tense and 
aspect attributes of the verb form so that it takes the tense and aspect 
of the preceding main clause. Thus the prefixed vav has one function, 
not two contradictory ones.

But the problem with this analysis is that it does not explain why 
WEQATAL is used in some contexts and WAYYIQTOL and WEYIQTOL in others.

Another problem with this is that WAYYIQTOL is sometimes found without a 
preceding main clause, or else the main clause gives a background and 
setting, or a time, which clearly has a different tense and aspect from 
the WAYYIQTOL clause. But I then this happens with WEQATAL as well, in 
cases like Jeremiah 9:24 (English v.25) HINNEH YAMIM BA'IM ... UPAQADTIY 
... (similar references are Jeremiah 7:32; 9:25; 16:14; 19:6; 23:5,7; 
30:3; 31:27,38; 33:14; 48:12; 49:2; 51:52; Amos 8:11; 9:13; I haven't 
checked them all); the WEQATAL UPAQADTIY surely does not have the 
progressive aspect of the main clause expressed in a participle. So your 
description of WEQATAL, attractive though it is, doesn't work.

--
Peter Kirk
E-mail:  peter AT qaya.org
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Website: http://www.qaya.org/