Oy, this is getting complicated, isn't it? In Biblical Hebrew, the infinitive can also serve as a volitive (ie: "[Please] do x") or a prohibitive ("[Do not] do x"). The regular prohibitives, however, are formed off the jussive and they have a negative adverb inserted before them. By the time we get to the Rabbinic writings, this negative adverb is always אל, without exception (unless quoting the Bible), but in the Bible itself it can also be לא.
Case in point: read the 10 commandments (either in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5) - they all have לא. Also, if you read the story of Solomon's trying the two women (found in 1 Kings 3:16-28, esp. 26-27), you'll see that the author alternates between the two. They seem to possess the same meaning.
Anyway, it's quite possible that this terminology is not even employed at all by Israelis discussing Israeli Hebrew. To the best of my knowledge, you don't speak of perfectives, imperfectives and participles, right? Just pasts, futures and presents?
And, yes, very sorry for having hijacked your post, Jen. But I think you secretly love it. You're just too scared to admit it and look like a nerd (*grins*)
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Ah, swearing in Hebrew...
Date: 2006-10-01 11:00 am (UTC)Oy, this is getting complicated, isn't it?
In Biblical Hebrew, the infinitive can also serve as a volitive (ie: "[Please] do x") or a prohibitive ("[Do not] do x"). The regular prohibitives, however, are formed off the jussive and they have a negative adverb inserted before them. By the time we get to the Rabbinic writings, this negative adverb is always אל, without exception (unless quoting the Bible), but in the Bible itself it can also be לא.
Case in point: read the 10 commandments (either in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5) - they all have לא. Also, if you read the story of Solomon's trying the two women (found in 1 Kings 3:16-28, esp. 26-27), you'll see that the author alternates between the two. They seem to possess the same meaning.
Anyway, it's quite possible that this terminology is not even employed at all by Israelis discussing Israeli Hebrew. To the best of my knowledge, you don't speak of perfectives, imperfectives and participles, right? Just pasts, futures and presents?
And, yes, very sorry for having hijacked your post, Jen. But I think you secretly love it. You're just too scared to admit it and look like a nerd (*grins*)
Have a good Yom Kippur!