Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Yaakov Stein" <yaakov_s AT rad.com>]

Isaac, 
 
I was speaking solely of final H (not H with mapik which is
a contraction of  $LH = hers). Nor was I speaking of the 
common use of a final H to signify a feminine form.
I was speaking specifically of the adding of a final (non memupeket) H
to words that would otherwise not take it, with specific significance.
 
Your example of YMH (in modern Hebrew) is one of the "other cases"
to which I alluded. I am not sure what the relevance of the final T
in KPYT is to the discussion.
There are various suffixes used to signify large or small versions - 
not necessarily consistent (e.g. WN can mean a large form, as in QRXWN
in modern Hebrew, or a small form as in SFRWN, or an arbitrary ending
as in $(WN ).
 
Regarding N$QYMH (or NLYNH), I fail to follow your argument.
The prefix Na (first person plural future tense) should make N$QYM (or
NLYN)
and there is no reference to, or need for, an object (both are
intransitive)
or a reflexive form. On the other hand, N$KYM already means getting up
early,
and so can easily take a further emphasis.
 
HPRXH HGFN should be read in context, The following words are 
HNCW HRMNYM - and the suffix is clearly a plural form.
So the word GFN was apparently once allowed to be feminine,
as can be seen in Psalms 80:15.
 
The use of LKH instead of LK carried over to later hebrew 
(e.g. LKH DWDY meaning "let's hurry to greet the bride").
 
So I fail to see an argument here against the ending H used as "he
hazeruz" 
(the so called paragogic he) in biblical hebrew. 
 
Y(J)S
 
________________________________

From: Isaac Fried [mailto:if AT math.bu.edu] 
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 2:29 PM
To: Yaakov Stein
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Stress


Yaakov,


1. We need to distinguish between what something actually is, and what
something is merely "As a matter of fact so-called", as Dr. Reinhard G.
Lehmann puts it.
2. An ulterior stress makes YAMAH = YAM-HI), into a 'lake, small sea'
[in common use now but not found in the Hebrew bible], with the feminine
pronoun ending HI) used I think for diminution, as in KAP, 'table
spoon', versus KAPIT = KAP-HI)-AT, 'tea spoon'. Also in existence is
YAMAH = YAM-HI), 'her YAM, her sea', with a mapik in the closing H.
3. In YAMAH = YAM-HI), 'to the sea, westward', the personal pronoun is
for the sea itself in lieu of "he hayedi(ah".
4. In RIBAH = RIB-HI) the personal pronoun is for the addressee
[address-he?], whereas in NA-LIN-AH and NA-$KIM-AH, of Song of Songs
7:12-13, both NA and HA are personal pronouns standing for the courting
pair. [I don't think this NA is "nu hazeruz", as in the commonly heard
from impatient children NU KBAR.]
In the form NA-$KIB-AH, 'we will lay her down', the initial NA is )ANU
for the speakers portending the act, and the last HI) is for the person
intended to receive the benefit of the act. 
In Song of Songs 7:13 we also find PARX-AH = PARAX-HI), 'bloomed', with
HI) referring here to the vines themselves.
6. In Exodus 15:16 )EYMATAH = )EYM-ATAH = )EYM-AT-HI), the final pronoun
ATAH [or the compound AT-HI)] is for the terror itself. In Daniel 7:7 we
find V-EMTANI, prompting the later derivatives: )EYMTAN = )EYM-AT-AN,
'terorist', )EYMTANI = )EYM-AT-AN-HI) 'dreadful, fearful' and )EYMTANUT
= )EYM-AT-AN-HU)-AT, 'terrorization'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University   

On Sep 30, 2007, at 4:34 AM, Yaakov Stein wrote:



                OK I will state my case again. There are no "paragogic"
letters in  
                Hebrew, and there can not be "paragogic" letters in
Hebrew. The  
                ancient Hebrews did not construct their language out of
"paragogic"  
                letters and "thematic" vowels. The Hebrews did not slap
a extra H  ...


        There are two main reasons for adding a "he" at the end of a
word.
        The "directive he", which is usually unaccented (YMH, QDMH,
...),
        and what is frequently called the "paragogic he", which is
usually
        accented
        and used to express urgency ("he hazeruz"), such as LKH, N$QYMH,
RYBH
        ... 

        There are certainly other final he forms, remnants of archaic
        constructions
        (e.g. )YMTH in the song of the sea).

        Y(J)S
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