Subject: RE: [b-hebrew] Use and Misuse of Waw in Verb Tenses
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 09:06:47 -0400
> The puzzle here is that 24% of -qtl forms are non-past. I don't think
> that happens in BH - although it might do if statives are
> included. But
> then are the DSS -qtl forms consistently distinguished from
> infinitives,
> participles and verbal adjectives?
Peter,
In interpreting the drop in wayyiqtol frequency, we must consider genre
effects.
Qumran infinitives almost always have a prefixed preposition. Participles
tend to be spelled with matres, but of course not all are.
I suppose some verbal adjectives would also not use matres lectionis, and
would therefore be indistinguishable from qatal. These are possibilities
I'll need to discuss.
As for -qtl for non-past, here are the stats excluding verbs with stative
lexical aspect:
Conj. Past Present Future Total
-yqtl 3% 9% 88% 100%
wyqtl 61% 5% 34% 100%
-qtl 85% 3% 12% 100%
wqtl 2% 0% 98% 100%
A. Ptc. 7% 14% 80% 100%
P. Ptc. 54% 6% 40% 100%
Total 30% 6% 64% 100%