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  • From: Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] How does biblical Hebrew describe a past event?
  • Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:54:17 +0200


Dear David,

This was just a sweeping statement of yours without any documentation. From our previous discussions it appears that you and I understand fundamental linguistic concepts completely different and live in two different linguistic worlds. So I see no reason for a discussion of Hebrew verbs between you and me.

You have also in other forums made sweeping statements, as in your review of my doctoral dissertation in "Journal of Asia Adventist Seminary". About 18 months ago, Yitzhak Sapir raised some questions about the quality of my dissertation and asked if there were any peer reviews. Questions regarding your review should therefore be relevant for b-hebrew, both because of this and because of your claim in your last E-mail that the conclusions of my dissertation regarding YIQTOL and WAYYIQTOL have repeatedly been shown to be wrong on this list.

I will only mention one point that may illuminate the claim you made in your last E-mail. The most important error of your review is that you completely have misunderstood the basic parameters I use in my analysis of Hebrew verbs, namely event time, reference time, and deictic center. The definition of my "reference time" that you present is completely wrong, and is not found in the dissertation. And the same is true with your presentation of my "deictic center," where you misquote the dissertation, because you have not understood that my words refer to the abstract term "deictic" and not to the parameter "deictic center". Therefore, many of your arguments against my conclusions actually hit a straw man; you cannot effectively argue against something that you have not understood!

At the beginning you say, "As will soon be apparent, I disagree with Furuli at almost every point." This is hardly a good setting for a real peer review, which should be a balanced, scientific discussion. Your words suggest that what you have written rather is a one-sided or biased discussion. Moreover, a peer review of a Ph.D dissertation should be made by a peer, by one who both have a Ph.D and is an expert in the field. But your lack of understanding of fundamental linguistic concepts and several other misunderstandings and misrepresentations lead me to wonder about your qualifications.

On "BibleWorks User Forum" your profile is: "Research assistant, teaching Biblical Hebrew, Ph.D thesis on BH pronouns". I would like to ask about the background you had when you wrote the review: Which grades in Hebrew and Semitics did you have? Had you at that time defended your doctoral dissertation? Have you published any articles or monographs dealing with Hebrew verbs or Semitic linguistics? How long have you taught Hebrew on the university level?

For the record, there are two other reviews of my dissertation that are diametrically different from Kummerow's review: "Hebrew Studies" 48 (2007) 359-62 by professor E. R Hayes, and The Society of Biblical Literature (http:/www.bookreviews.org/subscribe.asp) by professor John Kaltner.


Best regards,

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo




[snip]

My challenge is: Can anyone
on the basis of linguistic arguments applied to
BH show that my claim is either wrong or doubtful?


Best regards,

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo


Hi Rolf,

This has already been done repeatedly on this list. So we need not go
over it again -- at least that is the reason why I haven't responded to
your posts.

Regards,
David Kummerow.
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