Another question on syntax

A place for those new to Biblical Hebrew to ask basic questions about the language of the Hebrew Bible.
Forum rules
Members will observe the rules for respectful discourse at all times!
Please sign all posts with your first and last (family) name.
kwrandolph
Posts: 1532
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 12:51 am

Re: Another question on syntax

Post by kwrandolph »

markofcain wrote:You would use the Direct Object Marker to remove the confusion.

The Direct Object Marker is used to avoid confusing the subject with the object. The DOM is used with a definite object. Even though אהרון does not have the attached article, it is definite by virtue of the fact that it is a proper name.

Watch the segment "Sign of the Accusative" in this video:

http://animatedhebrew.com/lectures/chap ... er_10.html
This video is incomplete. The accusative is also a prefixed Bet ב for some verbs, examples include ראה and חפץ, and I believe for יכח as well. So if I want to say “I’ll correct him” would come out as אני יכחתי בו with the אני optional.

Karl W. Randolph.
markofcain
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:58 am
Location: Sarasota, FL USA
Contact:

Re: Another question on syntax

Post by markofcain »

kwrandolph wrote: This video is incomplete. The accusative is also a prefixed Bet ב for some verbs, examples include ראה and חפץ, and I believe for יכח as well.
Yes the ב can be used as such but wouldn't it be called "an object of a preposition" or an "oblique object" instead of a "direct object?"

Such as in Gen 3:3
וּמִפְּרִי הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן אָמַר אֱלֹהִים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתוּן׃
"...you shall not eat from it nor touch it..."

Technically, isn't בּוֹ in actuality a prepositional phrase used idiomatically as a direct object?
Mark Cain
Sarasota, FL USA

http://www.markcain.com
Jemoh66
Posts: 307
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 11:03 pm

Re: Another question on syntax

Post by Jemoh66 »

Yes. Gen 17:9 is one example וְאַתָּה אֶת־בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר (and you my covenant shall keep) though according to Gesenius most of the occurrences of SOV are in poetry and in Aramaic sections in Daniel. Gensenius § 142.2.(c)
This is one of the fuzzy areas of linguistics that really bugs me. 1. This sentence does not need the pronoun ATTAH. In a pro-drop language native speakers consider the SAM (subject agreement marker) as the subject. Not in the grammars of course, but if a native were to translate תִשְׁמֹר, he would translate it as "you will keep." Here, the SAM is TI-. 2. וְאַתָּה here is not really a subject proper, but should be translated, "as for you." "As for you, you will keep my covenant." This does not invalidate the argument above; I just think we need to find a different example.
As to its meaning, a variation of the normal order of words is used to indicate an emphasis based upon the priority position of the word. So, in Gen 17:9 the emphasis would be upon the particular identify of the newly re-named Abraham as he, by virtue of the pronoun, holds the priority position in the sentence. Likewise, it could be argued grammatically that the covenant itself is placed in a priority position ahead of the verb of "keeping". From a structural point of view I think that the personal responsibility towards "my covenant" in v 9 is compared with God's initiatory action regarding "my covenant" in verse 7. In order words, I think what is being emphasized here is a "contract" of "my part" / "your part."
Word order is dictated at the discourse level. What Longacre calls the vertical relationship, as opposed to syntax, the horizontal relationship. When the subject is fronted, it usually marks the beginning of a new episode in the discourse. For example, in Jonah 1:4, ויהוה הטיל רוח־גדולה אל־הים. Here the author wishes to change the scenery, so he begins the new episode with the subject, in this case, YHWH.
Jonathan E Mohler
Studying for a MA in Intercultural Studies
Baptist Bible Theological Seminary
markofcain
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:58 am
Location: Sarasota, FL USA
Contact:

Re: Another question on syntax

Post by markofcain »

Jemoh66 wrote:This does not invalidate the argument above; I just think we need to find a different example.
Fair enough. Perhaps this following verse will help to illustrate the S-O-V pattern -- but I will admit that in a crunch of limited time to do research I have select a sentence from poetry:

Isaiah 3:17 וַיהוָה פָּתְהֵן יְעָרֶה (YHWH their foreheads will expose)
Mark Cain
Sarasota, FL USA

http://www.markcain.com
Post Reply