Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] HITPAEL as mutual action

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Richard Benton <rcbenton AT wisc.edu>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] HITPAEL as mutual action
  • Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:45:49 -0400

Richard,

It would be good if you could explain to us briefly what you mean by the "distinctions between the middle and the reflexive". Also, what are the "good examples" of IBHS ?(what is this IBHS?)
I see it this way. The hitpael describes an action done by an actor upon himself. By virtue of this the act appears to be intentional and under greater control than when cast in the qal form. For example, saying HOLEK LA-REDET GE$EM, 'it is going to rain', means that a sequence of atmospheric events is set in motion that will inevitably result in rain. But upon reading MIT-HALEK BA-GAN, 'walking in the garden', of Genesis 3:8, one's imagination is triggered to "see" somebody deliberately and controllably leading himself up and down the paths of the garden.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Apr 16, 2009, at 6:07 PM, Richard Benton wrote:

Dear George,

Yes, it sounds like you see my point. In the past, some authors have
jumped from this observation to the idea that the Hitpael is reflexive,
but you can't make that leap necessarily. Often languages make clear
distinctions between the middle and the reflexive, even though they are
related. (Slavic languages, such as Russian, do so, as well as others
on every continent.) Furthermore, often the middle overlaps with a
passive function, and we see this in Biblical Hebrew. (IBHS lists some
good examples.)

Cheers,
Richard Benton

George Athas wrote:
Good observations, Richard. Your distinction between the Qal and Hitpael of HLK is very illuminating, and shows that the Hitpael is more interested in the subject being the host of the action (i.e. Subject is the locus where the action occurs).


Regards,

GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au

_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew

_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page