...I think the point about the beginning of narratives was more about what happens immediately after a speech margin. A shift of genre within a continuous work is a rather different matter - and also potentially raises questions of sources and compilation.
Whereas the WPC is the most common verb form in narratives, I do not have
the impression that it is the most common verb form to BEGIN narratives. Try this, to get an impression for yourself:
In the book of Joshua, look for breaks in the narrative (e.g., by lists)
where narrative continuity should not be expected and look at the verb form
immediately following (5:13; 6:1; 7:1; 13:1; 10:15, 16; 13:1; 19:51; 20:1;
21:43; 23:1). Do you see a pattern? I don't see one strong enough to warrant
making statements of continuity _on the basis of the verb form alone_.
Particularly the WYHY seems to occur relatively frequently at the beginning
of narratives. I would be especially hesitant about assuming continuity when
a sentence beginning with WYHY includes a specific time reference.
So, how much continuity does the verb form itself imply? That's one part ofProbably not. It is well recognised that the wayyiqtol form was less used in later biblical Hebrew and not used at all in Mishnaic Hebrew. One would therefore expect its use to be receding still further in this intermediate form and have retreated into certain specific contexts.
what I am trying to answer in my dissertation. So far in my research on the
Hebrew of Dead Sea Scrolls, the WPC is NOT the form used generally for past
time, or for perfective aspect, or for realis modality, or any particular
combination of time, aspect, and modality. It use is specifically
conditioned; and I am still trying to figure out what those conditions are.
Of course, my findings about Qumran Hebrew may or may not be applicable to
Classical Biblical Hebrew.
Hoping this helps,
Ken Penner, McMaster/DSS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PennerThesis
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