To: Jonathan Mohler <jonathan.mohler AT gmail.com>
Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Ex 6:6 hiphil imperative 'bring'
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 09:23:20 +0100
Hi Jonathan, I understand your point although not the details, but I
certainly get what you are bring accross.
Chris Watts
Ireland
On 10 Jul 2013, at 20:06, Jonathan Mohler wrote:
Chris,
You're thinking too literally (very modern and western). You're
laying the emphasis on the idea of causing, but what is important is
the resulting semantic value of the verb not the fact that a hiphil
was used to arrive at the meaning. Let me give an example from
Swahili. Swahili uses -sha or - za as a causative suffix. Take the
verb KULA, to eat. As a causative it takes the form ku-LISHA, and
it's meaning now is to feed, I.e to cause to eat. So I can certainly
tell my so "feed the dog". It doesn't I force the dog to eat. Another
example is LALA, lie down or sleep. The causative form LAZA means to
admit someone to the hospital, the idea being that one lies down in
bed when in hospital. I can even tell someone to take their loved one
and have them admitted to hospital. The verb would take the form of a
double causative. Imagine a hiphil of a hiphil. Languages like these
can produce an unlimited amount of semantic material from a very
small set of roots.
Jonathan Mohler
Re: [b-hebrew] Ex 6:6 hiphil imperative 'bring'
, (continued)