Biblical Hebrew Forum

["B. M. Rocine" <brocine AT twcny.rr.com>]

Hi Keith,

An example or two of what you have in mind would help.

A simple yes-no question or a rhetorical question may be asked without 
use of the pre-formed /huh/ _Ha_.  See Exo 8:22 velo' isqelunu or Jdg 
11:23 ve'attah tirrashenu.  Many of these examples begin with a vav, 
which indicates an association with the previous context.

I think you will find preformed /Ha/ is more likely when a question does 
not have the benefit of clear context to set it up or when it is used to 
alert the audience of an assertion which is framed as a question (a 
rhetorical question).

Shalom,
Bryan

Keith McCune wrote:
> Dear Sirs:
>
> So can I ask questions now?
>
> If so...
>
> What is the actual discourse function of "helo'"?  I mean the word at the
> beginning of the sentence whose literal translation is something like "Isn't
> [it the case that]...?"
>
> The reason I'm asking about actual function is that in many cases the
> literal translation is something that in a normal modern English text we
> would never say.
>
> I think in a lot of cases the best dynamic translation might be something
> like:  "Now listen."  Like, "Heads up, this is important."
>
> What think ye?
>
>   

--
B.M. Rocine
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13206
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