Prefixes and suffixes making nouns, meanings?
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:23 pm
Traditionally, the triliteral verb was considered the core of the Hebrew language (or so I was taught), with nouns, adjectives, etc. being built from those verbs. I now take that claim with a big grain of salt, yet for many words, it remains accurate.
The most common change is the “participle” which targets usually the actor, though often the action. When the noun is Qal masculine singular, its form usually is indistinguishable from a third person singular verb whether Qal, Piel or Pual—context tells us whether or not this is a participle. (I read an unpointed text, as I find that the points cannot always be trusted to give a correct meaning)
When the noun ends in a Heh suffix ה- that almost always marks it as feminine, often denoting a feminine of the object—a mare vs. stallion, nanny goat from a he-goat, etc. It also refers to other factors, e.g. חק is an individual statute, חקה is a group of statutes, e.g. the group of statutes referring to the Passover Numbers 9:12.
A feminine noun in the construct state changes its ending to a Tau ת- but there are also nouns that have such a Tau suffix without being feminine noun in construct case, rather that is an ending found standing alone, also declined as a feminine, do they have a distinct inflection in meaning? Any thoughts?
What meaning does the feminine singular ending ות- confer?
Then there are the prefixes, the most common being a Mem prefix -מ changing a Piel, Pual, Hiphil, Hophal, Hitpael to a participle (noun). But there’s also the Tau prefix -ת which, besides indicating a noun, which other meaning does it imply?
In all this, I’m asking what are the meanings that the different forms imply? Just like in English there’s a difference between “association” and the noun “associate”, so are there patterns of meaning connected with these different prefixes and suffixes? If so, what?
Karl W. Randolph.
The most common change is the “participle” which targets usually the actor, though often the action. When the noun is Qal masculine singular, its form usually is indistinguishable from a third person singular verb whether Qal, Piel or Pual—context tells us whether or not this is a participle. (I read an unpointed text, as I find that the points cannot always be trusted to give a correct meaning)
When the noun ends in a Heh suffix ה- that almost always marks it as feminine, often denoting a feminine of the object—a mare vs. stallion, nanny goat from a he-goat, etc. It also refers to other factors, e.g. חק is an individual statute, חקה is a group of statutes, e.g. the group of statutes referring to the Passover Numbers 9:12.
A feminine noun in the construct state changes its ending to a Tau ת- but there are also nouns that have such a Tau suffix without being feminine noun in construct case, rather that is an ending found standing alone, also declined as a feminine, do they have a distinct inflection in meaning? Any thoughts?
What meaning does the feminine singular ending ות- confer?
Then there are the prefixes, the most common being a Mem prefix -מ changing a Piel, Pual, Hiphil, Hophal, Hitpael to a participle (noun). But there’s also the Tau prefix -ת which, besides indicating a noun, which other meaning does it imply?
In all this, I’m asking what are the meanings that the different forms imply? Just like in English there’s a difference between “association” and the noun “associate”, so are there patterns of meaning connected with these different prefixes and suffixes? If so, what?
Karl W. Randolph.