Thanks, Rolf, John and Isaac.
I will use the word subjunctive to refer to the form of the verb.
I want to contribute to the wayyiqtol/aspect thread by way of analogy. I
preface "by analogy" because some might object to me bringing in an example
from a non semitic language.
setup:
In Swahili, the indicative mood is marked by the suffix -a. The subjunctive
mood is marked by the suffix -e.
Indicative verbs take tense affixes, while subjunctive verbs are tenseless.
The subjunctive can function as a cohortative, a jussive, a softened
imperative, and like John's Ar. examples must follow particles that call for
potentiality, and volition.
Indicative— ni-li-end-a, I went
1s-past-go-ind
Subjunctive— ni-end-e, let me go (cohortative) 1s-go-subj
u-end-e, go (softened imperative) 2s-go-subj
a-end-e, let him go (jussive) 3s-go-subj
mpaka aende, until he goes
ili aende, in order that he go
nataka uende, I want you to go
argument (by analogy):
In Matt. 21:28-32, Jesus tells the parable of the father who bid his two sons
to work in the field. One son said he would, but he didn't go; his brother
said he wouldn't, but changed his mind and went. In the English phrase "he
didn't go," "go" is indicative, In Swahili it is a subjunctive a-si-end-e,
3s-neg-go-subj. Swahili speakers, for reasons I have yet to determine, choose
a subjunctive, even though an indicative is available, and would be
grammatical.
What prompted this in my mind was Ruth's comment that qatals and yiqtols are
different, and for some reason the author of Prov. 31 has chosen to follow the
qatal with a yiqtol. In the native speakers mind a yiqtol is still a yiqtol,
as the subjunctive, in my Swahili mind, is still a subjunctive in cases such as
above. I would still translate it "he didn't go."
Jonathan E. Mohler
Baptist Bible Graduate School
Springfield, Missouri, US
On May 30, 2013, at 3:20 AM, [email protected] wrote:
_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
