Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Joseph Justiss <jljustiss AT msn.com>]

I think it interesting to note that BH wayyiqtol verbal form cannot be 
negated. This causes me to wonder if conceiving of it in mathematical terms 
could be beneficial for the description of its function. 
 
1. If a clause is a concept + event combination then a segment can be 
continued by adding details to a preceding concept. This is called 
elaboration and is fundamentally adnominal. 
2. Or a text segment/clause can be continued by enhancing or adding details 
to an event. This is called event enhancement and is fundamentally adverbial. 
3. Finally, a whole new concept and/or event can be added to a previous 
concept + event segement. This is called extension and is neither adnominal 
or adverbial. 
 
Perhaps the wayyiqtol is the verb form in BH which is called upon to function 
in this last way--namely adding a new concept and/or event to a preceding 
concept or event. This is why it cannot be negated because it is not for 
concept or even "subtraction", but concept and event "addition" as defined 
above. This might provide a description of wayyiqtol's function which holds 
in narrative and non-narrative occurrences of the verbal form.
 
Joe Justiss