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  • From: Joseph Justiss <jljustiss AT msn.com>
  • To: biblical hebrew list <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Observations about BH wayyiqtol verbal "from" (Joseph Justiss)
  • Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:33:10 -0500


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



  • [b-hebrew] Observations about BH wayyiqtol verbal "from" (Joseph Justiss), Joseph Justiss, 08/17/2010

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