Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Hebrew grammar'

Modern Hebrew exhibits a derivational process known as Denominai Verb Formation (DVF) whereby a base form, usually a noun, may become a verb. This process has been analyzed by several researchers (Bat-El 1994, Gafos 1995, Sharvit 1994) but to date a comprehensive, principled account has not been proposed. In this paper, it is my aim to present such a principled account of DVF, within Optimality Theory (Prince & Smolensky 1993). This account crucially relies on the consonantal root, arguing against the proposal of Bat-El (1994) that the root plays no role in DVF. In addition, I propose to capture the well known effects of left-to-right spreading attested throughout Semitic (McCarthy 1979, 1981, et seq.) using a new form of Anchor constraints. These new Anchor constraints will be useful in accounting for cases of consonant doubling, which is attested in a subset of Modern Hebrew denominai verbs. Finally, I show that Bat-El's (1994) arguments against the consonantal root can be recast as reasons to adopt a separate dimension of correspondence relations in the analysis: namely, the dimension of Output-Output Correspondence, following work of, e.g., Benua (1995, 1997) and Burzio (1996).

Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the questions that have challenged scholars of BH for many years is whether the language should be regarded as a tense, aspectual or modal language. In this thesis, I argue that the lack and application of a metacategory for describing any language in general, and BH in particular, has been the main problem of the debate. A sound methodology is needed in order to be able to make an argument that can be tested empirically. The present study presents such a viable methodological approach. Using Bhatian parameters for tense, aspect and modal prominent languages, crosslinguistic metacategories of tense, aspect and mood were developed. These were applied to BH and the outcome was the hypothesis that BH is an aspect-prominent language. After formulating the above-mentioned hypothesis for BH, a corpus had been selected in the light of which the hypothesis was tested. The result demonstrates that BH consistently maintains perfective and imperfective aspectual distinctions. It was found that even where aspectual distinctions are extended to modal categories, the distinction in meanings between the perfective and the imperfective forms of the BH verb are not neutralised. From these observations, it has been concluded that there is the need to revisit the semantics of Proto Semitic. A model like the one used in this study could be replicated in the study of Proto Semitic. Such a revisit, it is hypothesised, may give fresh insights into the verbal system of Proto Semitic in general and BH in particular
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die vrae wat reeds vir baie jare vir kenners van Byblese Hebreeus (=BH) In uitdaging is, is of die taal 'n tempustaal, 'n aspektuele taal of 'n modale taal is. In hierdie tesis voer ek aan dat die gebrek aan die toepassing van 'n metakategorie vir die beskrywing van tale in die algemeen, en BH in die besonder, die hoof probleem in die debat is. 'n Deeglike begronde metodologie is nodig om 'n hipotese daar te stel wat empiries getoets kan word. Hierdie studie wil so 'n metodologie formuleer. Deur gebruik te maak van Bhat se parameters vir tale waarvan die tempus, aspek en modaliteit prominent is, is kruislinguistiese metakategorieë vir tempus, aspek en modaliteit ontwikkel. Hierdie metakategorieë is op BH toegepas en die resultaat daarvan was die hipotese dat BH 'n aspek-prominente taal is. Nadat die bogenoemde hipotese vir BH geformuleer is, is 'n korpus geselekteer in die lig waarvan hierdie hipotese getoets kon word. Die resultaat demonstreer dat BH konsekwent die perfektiewe en imperfektiewe aspektuele onderskeid handhaaf. Daar is gevind dat selfs wanneer aspektuele onderskeidings uitgebrei is na modale kategorieë, die onderskeid tussen die perfektiewe en die imperfektiewe vorme van die BH werkwoord nie geneutraliseer word me. Vanuit hierdie waarnemings is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit nodig is om weer te gaan kyk na die semantiek van Proto-Semities. 'n Model soos die een wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, kan ook in die studie van Proto-Semities bebruik word. Die hipotese is dat so 'n hernude ondersoek nuwe insigte kan gee in die werkwoordsisteem van Proto-Semities in die algemeen en BH in die besonder.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present work consists of an investigation into the form and function(s) of the so-called 'Left Dislocation' construction in Biblical Hebrew. As such, this inquiry is part of a larger domain of research that explores the nature and function of word order variation in Biblical Hebrew. As a result of a pilot study conducted by the present author in 2010, as well as recent advances within the feilds of cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics, and discoursepragmatics— particularly with its sub-discipline known as information structure—a fresh examination of Left Dislocation in Biblical Hebrew is called for. Drawing on research from the aforementioned feilds of study, we propose a cognitive-functional theoretical model that provides a framework for a more comprehensive explanation of Left Dislocation in Biblical Hebrew. Furthermore, this work situates Left Dislocation in Biblical Hebrew against a broader profile of Left Dislocation across langauges. This is accomplished by examining the findings of a range of cross-linguistic studies—with respect to a variety of related and unrelated languages—that are concerned with both the syntactico-semantic and discourse-functional attributes of Left Dislocation. Typological generalizations drawn from these studies are then applied to the identification, classification, and explanation of a data set comprised of over 650 tokens taken from Genesis to 2 Kings. The result of this analysis is twofold. First, a thorough description is provided in terms of the external (i.e. global) and internal syntactico-semantic attributes of tokens comprising the data set. Consistent with typological findings, the data set reflects a taxonomic network of constructional schemas that are classified according to an exemplar model of conceptual categorization. Second, utilizing a cognitive-theoretical model, as well as insights garnered from crosslinguistic studies, the aforementioned syntactico-semantic description is explained in terms of the cognitive-pragmatic motivation for the use of Left Dislocation in BH narrative discourse, as well as the prototypical and non-prototypical discourse function(s) accomplished by the construction therein. Lastly, a developmental framework is proposed that accounts for the form-function variation exhibited by the tokens in our data set. This framework consists of broader developmental processes involving usage-based patterns of language change, as well as a 'panchronic' view of grammar, where synchrony and diachrony are viewed as an integrated whole, and where grammars are always emergent and never completely established.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werk verteenwoordig 'n ondersoek na die vorm en funksie(s) van die sogenaamde linksverskuiwingkonstruksie in Bybelse Hebreeus. Dit vorm deel van 'n groter navorsingsinisiatief wat gemoeid is met die ondersoek na die aard en funksie van woordorde-variasies in Bybelse Hebreeus. In die lig van 'n loodsstudie wat in 2010 deur die outeur gedoen is, asook die vooruitgang wat gemaak is op die gebiede van kognitiewe taalkunde, psigolinguistiek en tekspragmatiek—veral in die subdissipline, informasiestruktuur—is ‘n herbesinnig oor linksverskuiwingkonstruksies Bybelse Hebreeus nodig. Gebaseer op die voorafgenoemde studievelde word 'n kognitief-funksionele teoretiese model voorgestel wat as raamwerk sal dien vir 'n meer omvattende verduideliking van linksverskuiwingkonstruksies in Bybelse Hebreeus. Hierdie ondersoek oor linksverskuiwing in Bybelse Hebreeus word gedoen teen die agtergrond van die profiel van linksverskuiwing oor tale heen. Dit word vermag deur die bevindings van 'n wye reeks taalkundige studies—op verskeie verwante en onverwante tale— wat gemoeid is met beide die sintakties-semanties en diskoersfunksionele eienskappe van linksverskuiwing, te ondersoek. Uit die ondersoek word tipologiese veralgemenings verkry wat dan gebruik word vir die identifisering, klassifikasie en verduideliking van 'n stel data wat bestaan uit 650 voorbeelde wat verkry is uit Genesis tot 2 Konings. Die resultate van hierdie analise is tweeledig. Eerstens word 'n uitvoerige beskrywing, in terme van die eksterne (of globale) en interne sintakties-semantiese eienskappe van die voorbeelde binne die datastel, verskaf. Die datastel reflekteer, aan die hand van taaltipologiese bevindinge, 'n taksonomiese netwerk van konstruksieskemas wat geklassifiseer is volgens 'n eksemplaarmodel van konsepsionele kategorisering. Tweedens, deur gebruik te maak van 'n kognitief-teoretiese model, tesame met insigte verkry deur studies oor tale heen, word die voorafgenoemde sintakties-semantiese beskrywing verduidelik in terme van die kognitief-pragmatiese motivering vir die gebruik van linksverskuiwing in Bybels-Hebreeuse narratiewe diskoers. Ook die prototipiese en nieprototipiese diskoersfunksie(s) van die konstruksie kom aan die bod. Laastens word 'n raamwerk voorgestel om die vorm-funksies variasies van die voorbeelde in die datastel as ontwikkelingsstadia te verklaar. Die raamwerk berus op ontwikkelingsprosesse wat tipies in gebruiksgebaseerde modelle van taalvariasie-tendense onderskei word. Verder gaan dit ook uit van 'n pankroniese siening van grammatika waarin diakronie en sinkronie as 'n geïntegreerde geheel gesien word en die grammatika van taal as 'n dinamiese entiteit beskou word. Dit stabliseer nooit volledig nie.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study represents an investigation of a set of BH connectives (רוּבֲעַבּ, ןַעַמְל, and ןֶפּ) as well as other grammatical constructions relevant to the lexical items. This investigation seeks to establish the datatypes which are relevant for distinguishing the meanings and/or senses that the BH connectives רוּבֲעַבּ, ןַעַמְל, and ןֶפּ may display. A literature overview of BH linguistics and existing BH lexica demonstrate that although current resources provide some useful information, there still lacks an adequate framework for describing the lexical items. On the one hand, linguistic descriptions of the connectives in BH linguistics fail to define the word class(es) and scope of the target lexemes, as well as the relations they indicate. None of the studies have structurally described the paradigmatic relation between the different types of purpose constructions. On the other hand, BH lexica show a variety of data types that are assumed to contribute towards both defining and distinguishing the meanings/senses of the lexical items we are concerned with; however, this information only partly helps in this endeavor. To describe more adequately the meaning and polysemic relationships of the lexemes, we relied on cognitive semantics (e.g., conceptual view of meaning, prototype theory, and semantic potential). We were also concerned with purpose/result constructions across languages in order to establish criteria for describing purpose constructions. On the basis of these investigations, we established a model for a semantic description of the target lexemes in addition to some criteria for distinguishing between purpose, result, cause, and reason constructions so that the different relations the target lexemes indicate might be identified. We also established some typological parameters of purpose constructions – such as verbal forms in the matrix, participant encoding, and the positioning patterns of purpose clauses. The value and validity of these criteria were then tested in an empirical investigation. The investigation established that ןַעַמְל, רוּבֲעַבּ, and ןֶפּ have a semantic potential that prompts the conceptualization of multiple relationships (e.g., ןַעַמְל: purpose, result, and reason) with varying scopes, among different levels. We were able to distinguish between the different relationships that the lexemes ןַעַמְל, רוּבֲעַבּ, and ןֶפּ display by relying on the notions of purpose, result, cause, and reason, as defined in cognitive linguistic circles. We also identified the prototypical and less prototypical meanings of the lexemes. This study establishes the value of the model employed, but also reveals that our theoretical model has some limitations.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verteenwoordig ‘n ondersoek van ‘n stel Bybels-Hebreeuse verbindingswoorde (רוּבֲעַבּ, ןַעַמְל en ןֶפּ) sowel as die grammatikale konstruksies wat relevant is vir die beter verstaan van hierdie leksikale items. Hierdie ondersoek poog in besonder om datatipes vas te stel wat ter sake is vir betekenisonderskeidings wat רוּבֲעַבּ, ןַעַמְל en ןֶפּ vertoon. 'n Literatuur-oorsig van bestaande Bybels-Hebreeuse bronne (bv. grammatikas en lexika) demonstreer dat, alhoewel hierdie bronne nuttige inligting verskaf, hulle nie ‘n toereikende raamwerk bied vir ‘n noukeurige beskrywing van die leksikale items nie. Die grammatikale studies, aan die een kant, versuim om die items se woordklas(se) te definieer. Weinig aandag word ook gewy aan die reikwydte en/of ter sake sintagmaties en paradigmatiese verbande van die ter sake konstruksies. Die leksika, aan die ander kant, wys wel op 'n verskeidenheid van datatipes wat veronderstel is om by te dra tot beide die definisies en betekenisonderskeidings. Hierdie inligting is egter dikwels nie genoegsaam nie. Om ‘n meer toereikende beskrywing van hulle betekenis te maak, asook om die polisemiese struktuur van die lekseme te bepaal, het ons gebruik gemaak van insigte van die kognitiewe semantiek (bv. prototipe-teorie, en die konsep ‘semantiese potensiaal’). Ons het ook doelkonstruksies in ander tale bestudeer. Kriteria is geïdentifiseer om te onderskei tussen konstruksies waarin doel, gevolg, oorsaak en rede gerealiseer word. Ons het ‘n paar taaltipologiese parameters van doelkonstruksies vasgestel, bv. die werkswoordsvorm wat in die matriks gebruik word, die manier waarop deelnemers gekodeer word, en die posisie van die doelkonstruksie tov die matriks. Die waarde en geldigheid van hierdie kriteria is daarna in ‘n empiriese ondersoek getoets. In hierdie studie is vasgetel dat ןַעַמְל, רוּבֲעַבּ en ןֶפּ ‘n semantiese potensiaal het wat die konseptualisering van veelvoudige verhoudings aktiveer (bv. ןַעַמְל: doel, gevolg, en die rede), wat beide op verskillende vlakke mag wees asook met verskillende reikwydtes. Ons het ook die prototipiese en minder prototipiese betekenis van die lekseme geïdentifiseer. Hierdie studie illustreer die waarde van die werksmodel wat gebruik, maar het ook aangetoon dat die model enkele leemtes het.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Though Biblical Hebrew (=BH) is no longer a spoken language, students continue to learn it for the purpose of reading, or at least interacting at a deeper level, with the text of the Hebrew Bible. This suggests that BH shares with any modern language learning course the goal of learning to read. One important part of learning to read is the acquisition of an adequate number of vocabulary items. The purpose of this study is to determine which insights from Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition (=SLVA) research and related fields hold the most promise for a new — and possibly more effective — approach to learning BH vocabulary, to evaluate currently existing BH instructional materials in light of these insights, to develop a new approach based on these insights, and to test aspects of the new approach empirically. Researchers in SLVA have uncovered a number of helpful insights concerning how vocabulary and vocabulary learning should be defined as well as concerning how vocabulary is best learned. On the other hand, BH instructional materials reflect little to no influence from these insights. These materials have continued to define vocabulary narrowly as individual words and continued to conceive of vocabulary learning primarily as pairing form and meaning in contrast to the much more sophisticated definitions found in the SLVA literature. For example, SLVA researchers consider items beyond the word level, such as idioms, to be vocabulary (Moon 1997; Lewis 1993, 1997). BH instructional materials have also failed to include a significant number of beneficial Vocabulary Learning Strategies (=VLSs), while including some VLSs that are either intrinsically problematic or problematic in the ways they are employed. For example, the strategy of learning semantically related items together is common in BH instructional materials, though it has been shown to be problematic in a considerable number of experimental studies (e.g. Nation 2000; Finkbeiner & Nicol 2003; Papathanasiou 2009). Since SLVA research has yet to influence BH instructional materials, a new approach to BH vocabulary learning is warranted. This new approach is based on sound theory concerning what vocabulary is and what it means to learn it, while offering learners as many helpful strategies for learning lexical items as possible. To justify this new approach, a set of experimental studies was run including one longitudinal case study and three larger-scale experiments. This testing was partial in nature since it was only possible to test one variable at a time. The testing revealed a number of important areas for future research into BH vocabulary learning.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel Bybelse Hebreeus (=BH) nie meer gepraat word nie, hou studente aan om dit aan te leer vir die doel om te lees, of ten minste om op ‘n dieper vlak met die oorspronklike teks van die Hebreeuse Bybel om te gaan. Dit impliseer dat die aanleer van BH net soos met die aanleer van moderne tale, ten doel het om die taal te kan lees. Een belangrike aspek van om te leer lees, is om die woordeskat aan te leer wat vir hierdie doel nodig is. Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel watter insigte, verkry uit Tweede Taal Woordeskat-Aanleer (=TTWA) navorsing en ander verwante studievelde, die meeste belofte inhou vir ‘n nuwe – en moontlik meer effektiewe – benadering tot die leer van BH woordeskat; om huidige BH leermateriaal te evalueer, in lig van hierdie insigte; om ‘n nuwe benadering te ontwikkel gebaseer op hierdie insigte; en om aspekte van die nuwe benadering empiries toets. Navorsers in TTWA het al heelwat insig verkry in hoe woordeskat en die aanleer van woordeskat gedefineer behoort te word, sowel as aangaande die mees effektiewe maniere waarop woordeskat aangeleer kan word. Dit lyk egter of beskikbare BH leermanier niks of baie min by hierdie insigte baatgevind het. Hierdie materiaal handhaaf tipies ‘n baie nou definisie van wat woordeskat is, te wete, individuele woorde. Dit beskou dus die aanleer van woordeskat as die aanleer van hoofsaaklik woordpare met verskillende vorme en betekenisse, in plaas daarvan om die meer gesofistikeerde definisies te gebruik wat in TTWA literatuur gevind word. TTWA navorsers beskou, byvoorbeelde idiome, wat uit meer as een woord kan bestaan, ook as woordskat-eenhede (Moon 1997; Lewis 1993, 1997). BH leermateriaal gebruik selde van die groot getal beskikbare nuttige Woordeskat Leer- Strategieë (=WLS). Daar word eerder dikwels strategieë gebruik wat volgens TTWA navorsing nie baie effektief is nie.’n Goeie voorbeeld in hierdie verband is die strategie om semanties-verwante items saam te leer. Empiriese navorsing het aangetoon dat hierdie strategie sonder twyfel problematies kan wees (bv. Nation 2000; Finkbeiner & Nicol 2003; Papathanasiou 2009). Aangesien TTWA feitelik nog geen beduidende invloed op BH leermateriaal gehad het, is ‘n nuwe benadering tot die aanleer van BH woordeskat waarin TTWA insigte verreken word, geregverdig. Hierdie nuwe benadering is gebaseer op ‘n deeglik begrondige teoriese model aangaande wat woordeskat is, en wat dit beteken om dit te leer. Verder kan geput word uit die skat van nuttige strategieë wat al in TTWS geïdentifiseer is om sodoende aan BH leerder strategieë te bied wat hulleself al bewys het. Om die nuwe benadering empiries te begrond, is ‘n reeks eksperimentele studies geloods. Nie alle aspekte van die nuwe model kon sistematies getoets word nie. Die grondslag vir verdere navorsing is egter gelê.

Thesis (MA (Biblical Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is an exploratory investigation into the discourse-pragmatic function(s) of the so-called Left-Dislocation construction in Biblical Hebrew. This inquiry is a part of a larger investigation into the nature and function of word order variation in Biblical Hebrew. In light of past research on Biblical Hebrew word-order variation, specifically concerning Left-Dislocation constructions, it is concluded that a re-analysis of Left-Dislocation constructions in Biblical Hebrew is called for. Advancements within the fields of cognitive-functional linguistics and discourse-pragmatics (information-structure) have afforded numerous avenues towards a more comprehensive cognitive-oriented frame of reference for ascertaining the functions of Biblical Hebrew word order variation. The discourse-pragmatic and cognitive-functional notion of information-structure serves as the basis for the theoretical framework employed in the present investigation. Information-structure is principally concerned with the question as to why grammars of natural language offer speakers a variety of morphosyntactic and prosodic options for expressing the same propositional content. Since the Left-Dislocation construction is a universal syntactic phenomenon, typological information regarding the form and function of Left-Dislocation constructions across languages served as a critical source of insight into the prototypical formal features and functional domains of the construction within Biblical Hebrew. The insights garnered from cross-linguistic data informed the parameters employed in the construction and construal of a random data-set of one hundred cases of Left-Dislocation drawn from the narrative portions of the Hebrew Bible stretching from Genesis to 2 Chronicles. The investigation of our data-set, within the confines of a discourse-pragmatic framework, reveals that Left-Dislocation constructions in Biblical Hebrew are principally employed to facilitate the topic-promotion of identifiable but inactive discourse-referents. These referents could be the primary or secondary topics of the sentences in which they are used.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is 'n verkennende ondersoek na die diskoerspragmatiese funksie(s) van sogenaamde linksverskuiwing ('Left-Dislocation') konstruksies in Bybelse Hebreeus. Hierdie vraagstelling vorm deel van 'n meer omvattende ondersoek na die aard en funksie van woordorde-variasies in Bybelse Hebreeus. Na aanleiding van 'n uitvoerige literatuurstudie oor die funksie(s) van woordorde-variasies in Bybelse Hebreeus, veral met betrekking tot linksverskuiwingskonstruksies, is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat 'n heranalise van linksverskuiwingskonstruksies in Bybelse Hebreeus nodig is. Vooruitgang op die gebiede van kognitiewe-funksionele taalkunde, en tekspragmatiek (informasiestruktuur) het dit moontlik gemaak om 'n meer omvattende kognitief-georiënteerde verwysingsraamwerk vir die bepaling van die funksie(s) van Bybels-Hebreeuse woordorde-variasies te formuleer. Die diskoerspragmatiese en kognitiewe-funksionele opvatting van informasiestruktuur dien as die basis vir die teoretiese raamwerk wat in die huidige ondersoek gebruik is. Informasiestruktuur is hoofsaaklik gemoeid met die vraag waarom die grammatika van natuurlike taal aan sprekers 'n verskeidenheid van morfosintaktiese en prosodiese opsies bied vir die uitdrukking van dieselfde proposisionele inhoud. Aangesien die linksverskuiwingskonstruksie 'n universele sintaktiese verskynsel is, is taaltipologiese inligting oor die vorm en funksie van die linksverskuiwingskonstruksie gebruik om insig te kry in die prototipiese formele eienskappe en funksies van die konstruksie in Bybelse Hebreeus. Aan die hand van bg. taaltipologiese insigte is parameters geformuleer aan die hand waarvan 'n ewekansige monster voorbeelde van linksverskuiwing uit verhalende tekste uit Genesis tot 2 Kronieke ondersoek is. Daar is bevind dat linksverskuiwing in Bybelse Hebreeus hoofsaaklik aangewend word om identifiseerbare, maar onaktiewe diskoersreferente te promoveer as topieks. Hierdie referente mag primêre of sekondêre topieks wees.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis offers a description of the semantic potential of the Biblical Hebrew lexeme '7l! in Genesis, Psalms, and Chronicles according to a cognitive linguistic perspective. This specific linguistic approach offers a theoretical framework of how humans cognitively organize lexical meaning, which is advantageous for highly polysemous lexemes, such as '7lJ. The need for this study arises because existing Biblical Hebrew resources do not utilize such a framework as is evidenced by their lists of translation equivalents, rather than full descriptions of meanings, and their lack of a clearly defined semantic model underlying their lexical treatment. However, they do provide a starting point that can be built upon with a cognitive linguistic based methodology. Such a methodology is found in Tyler and Evans (2007) case study of over, a frequent English translation of '7lJ. Tyler and Evans (2007) present how to determine the most prototypical semantic sense (i.e., the Proto-Scene) and how to distinguish between other distinct semantic senses, all of which represent the lexeme's semantic potential. This thesis heuristically utilizes this methodology while strongly considering three other factors. First, the syntactic frame surrounding '7l! is evaluated to assess how syntactic information, specifically verbal valency, contributes to the preposition's semantic value. Second, the frequency of each semantic category is assessed to determine possible insight into prototypicality within the defined corpus. Third, a radial structure is proposed to represent the semantic relationships between the prototypical and nonprototypical categories. This type of organization illustrates a clearly defined semantic model underlying the lexical treatment. This study first describes the Proto-Scene, which involves one entity over or upon another. Then, fifteen other distinct semantic categories of '7l! are presented within a radial structure (i.e. The Vertical Cluster: More, Superior, and Control; Contingent Locative; Accompaniment, In, To, Oppositional, For, Frontal, Causal, Norm, Focus of Attention, Instrumental, and Psalms Titles). Finally, the various senses for the morphologically complex lexemes are proposed. These include '7l!1;1 (i.e. From Upon, Away From, Above, and Contingent Locative) and '7l!=? (i.e. As Concerning).
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis heskryf die semantiese potensiaal van die Byhelse Hehreeuse lekseem ?~ in Genesis, Psalms en Kronieke vanuit die perspektief van kognitiewe taalkunde. Hierdie taalkundige model hied 'n teoretiese raamwerk van hoe mense leksikale hetekenis kognitief organiseer. So 'n teoretiese raamwerk is haie geskik vir die heskrywing van 'n polisemiese lekseem soos ?~. Die hehoefte aan 'n meer toereikende teoretiese raamwerk hlyk uit die manier waarop hestaande Byhels-Hehreeuse hulphronne die lekseem heskryf, hyvoorheeld, hulle hied weinig meer as lyste van vertalingsekwiwalente. Hulle hied, nietemin, 'n heginpunt waarop voortgehou kan word met hehulp van 'n kognitiewe taalkundige model. So 'n metodologie word gevind in Tyler en Evans (2007) se gevallestudie van "over", 'n gehruiklike Engelse ekwiwalent vir?~. Tyler en Evans dui aan hoe om die mees prototipiese semantiese hetekenis ( d.i. die "proto-toneel" of "proto-scene") vas te stel, asook hoe om tussen die ander semantiese nuanses ("senses") te onderskei. AI hierdie nuanses verteenwoordig die lekseem se semantiese potensiaal. Hierdie tesis maak op 'n heuristiese wyse gehruik van hierdie metodologie. Terselfde tyd neem dit drie ander faktore in aanmerking: Eerstens, word die sintaktiese raamwerk waarin ?~ voorkom, vasgestel ten einde te hepaal hoe sintaktiese informasie, veral werkwoordelike valensie, hydra tot die semantiese potensiaal van die voorsetsel. Tweedens, word die frekwensie van elke semantiese kategorie hepaal om tot moontlike insigte rakende prototipiese gehruike hinne die vasgestelde korpus te kom. Derdens, word 'n sg. "radial structure" voorgestel om die semantiese verhoudings tussen die prototipiese en nie-prototipiese kategoriee te illustreer. Hierdie studie heskryf, eerstens, die proto-toneel, wat een entiteit bo-oor of op 'n ander hehels. Daama word vyftien ander afsonderlike semantiese kategoriee van ?~ hinne 'n "radial structure" voorgestel ( d.i. die Vertikale Groep: Meer, Superior en Beheer; "Contingent" Lokatief; Begeleiding, In, Na, Teenoor, Vir, Voor, Oorsaaklik, Norm, Fokus van Aandag, Instrumenteel, en Psalmopskrifte ). Laastens, word voorstelle gemaak in verhand met die verskeie hetekenisse van die morphologies-komplekse lekseme ?~~ (d.i. Weg van ho-op, Weg van, Bo, en "Contingent" Lokatief) en ?~:p (d.i. Met Betrekking Tot).

Thesis(PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Theories of lexical semantics have undergone an evolutionary development for centuries. Geeraerts (2010) has traced their development from the historical-philological era (circa 1880) until the early 21st century. The current situation finds two basic approaches to lexical studies, with scholars positioned on a continuum from a minimalist position to a maximalist position. The former makes a demarcation between linguistics and pragmatics, relegating word meaning to pragmatics and a separation of word knowledge from world knowledge. The latter argues that there can be no separation made between lexical meaning and contextual meaning (word knowledge and world knowledge). The study is based on insights from the maximalist perspective. Second, it proposes that it is necessary to approach semantical studies with a composite approach taking into consideration frames, conceptual metaphor and metonymy, prototype, Idealized Cognitive Models, grammar and figurative uses of language (including non-verbal expressions and symbolic gestures) in order to have a full understanding of the concept a word or expression symbolizes. Third, all of the occurrences of a word or expression that appear in a corpus are analyzed in order to determine a possible range of polysemy as it is expressed in actual language usage. Finally, the context of the research is Bible Translation. One question asked in the investigation is, what information gleaned from the composite model can be appropriately presented in a specialist bilingual lexicon based on a frame model? The results of the research using the eclectic model provided a very broad understanding of some of the lexemes associated with JOY in biblical Hebrew. It was determined that these lexemes were associated with a concept of JOY that was very similar to the five-stage EVENT STRUCTURE metaphor proposed by Kövecses (2010) for emotions in English. Second, the investigation was able to verify the core features of JOY—volition, desire, determination and satisfaction—and to indicate how different construal operations activated specific features of the meaning potential in each linguistic frame. Third, the differences and similarities of each of the specific lexemes that were studied were determined and described. Fourth, it was demonstrated how the appropriate information needed by translators could be described and suggested for entry into a bilingual (biblical Hebrew-English) lexicon designed specifically for Bible Translators.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Teoriee van leksikale semantiek het deur die eeue ‘n evolusionere proses deurloop. Geeraerts (2010) het hierdie ontwikkeling vanaf die histories-filologiese era (ongeveer 1880) tot vroeg in die 21ste eeu nagespoor. Huidiglik kan leksikale studies in twee kampe verdeel word, en geleerdes bevind hulle tipies op ‘n kontinuum tussen ‘n minimalistiese en maksimalisties posisie. Eersgenoemde maak ‘n duidelike onderskeid tussen linguistiek en pragmatiek en religeer woordbetekenis tot pragmatiek en onderskei kennis van ‘n woord van kennis van die wereld. Laasgenoemde argumenteer dat daar geen onderskeid gemaak kan word tussen leksikale betekenis en kontekstuele betekenis nie (woordkennis en kennis van die wêreld). Hierdie studie berus op insigte van die maksimalistiese perspektief. Tweedens, dit stel voor dat dit nodig is om semantiese studies te benader met ‘n meervoudig saamgestelde benadering. So ‘n benadering neem in ag die raamwerk (“frame”), konseptuele metafoor en metonomie, prototipe, “Idealized Cognitive Models”, grammatika en figuurlike gebruike van taal (insluitend nie-verbale uitdrukkings en simboliese gebare) sodat by ‘n deeglike verstaan van die konsep wat ‘n woord of uitdrukking simboliseer, gekom kan word. Derdens, al die gebruike van ‘n woord of uitdrukking wat in ‘n korpus voorkom, word ontleed om te bepaal of ‘n polisemiese verband gepostuleer kan word tussen die uitdrukkings soos dit gebruik word. Ten slotte, die konteks van hierdie studie is Bybelvertaling. Een vraag wat konsekwent in die ondersoek gevra is, is welke informasie wat verkry is deur die meervoudig saamgestelde benadering kan op ‘n gepaste manier aangebied word in ‘n tweetalige leksikon wat rus op ‘n raamwerkmodel (“frame model”). Die resultate van die navorsing waarin die eklektiese model gebruik is, het tot ’n bree verstaan van die konseptualisering van VREUGDE in Bybelse Hebreeus gelei. Daar is vasgestel dat die emosie VREUGDE in Bybelse Hebreeus ooreenstem met die vyf-fase GEBEURTENIS-STRUKTUUR metafoor wat deur Kovecses (2010) voorgestel is vir emosies in Engels. Tweedens, die ondersoek was in staat om die kern-eienskappe van vreugde te verifieer—wil, begeerte, determinasie and satisfaksie—asook om aan te dui hoe verskillende konstruerende (“construal”) operasies aspekte van die betekenispotensiaal in spesifieke raamwerke aktiveer. Derdens, die verskille en die ooreenkomste van elke spesifieke lekseem wat na vreugde verwys, is vasgestel en beskryf. Vierdens is daar gedemonstreer hoe inligting wat ter sake is vir vertalers, beskryf kan word.

Spinoza a rédigé deux ouvrages majeurs : Le Traité Théologico-politique où il interprète l’Écriture, et l’Éthique où il expose sa philosophie. Contrairement à la règle de conduite de Descartes, Spinoza fait irruption dans le domaine de la Théologie en se mêlant d’interpréter l’Écriture. Nous avons cherché quel était le lien entre ces deux oeuvres dont le style et le ton sont tellement différents. D’autre part, Spinoza a écrit une grammaire hébraïque dont personne ne semble se préoccuper. Nous avons voulu savoir ce que venait faire une grammaire hébraïque dans une oeuvre philosophique. L’analyse de son contenu devrait permettre de savoir si cette grammaire avait pour vocation d’admettre une nouvelle interprétation de l’Ecriture et quelle pourrait en être la portée philosophique. L’examen de la méthode d’interprétation de Spinoza et des résultats obtenus permettra de dire si la publication du Traité Théologico-politique avait pour objet d’introduire « l’Éthique ». Il restera à savoir si la révolution spinozienne a été un fait aussi important que la révolution copernicienne. Si en identifiant Dieu à la Nature, Spinoza a fait une découverte de la même importance, et qu’il aurait, comme Copernic, dévoilé à l’humanité un aspect de la réalité qui avait été ignoré pendant des siècles. La philosophie de Spinoza est-elle le résultat d’une refonte du « Savoir » ou bien n’a-t-il fait que réinterpréter, en les refaçonnant des idées anciennes, pour aboutir à un système qui, quoique parfaitement bien construit, n’aurait cependant aucun fondement ? L’objet de cette étude est de suggérer quelques éléments de réponse en vue de permettre une meilleure approche de la question
Spinoza wrote two major works: the Theologico-Political Treatise in which he interprets Scripture, and the Ethics in which he expresses his philosophy. Contrary to the rule that Descartes imposed on himself, Spinoza bursted in the field of Theology by meddling with the interpretation of Scripture. We have looked for the link between those two works which styles and tones are so different. Secondly, Spinoza wrote a Hebrew grammar which nobody seems to care for. We wanted to understand what the place of a Hebrew grammar was in a philosophical work. The analysis of its contents should allow us to know whether the aim of this grammar was to provide a new interpretation of Scripture and what its philosophical impact could be. The examination of the interpretation method and of the results obtained will enable us to say if the aim in publishing the Theologico-Political Treatise was to introduce the Ethics. There remains to know if the Spinozian revolution was as important a fact as the Copernician revolution. If, by identifying God to Nature, Spinoza made a discovery of the same importance, and if he had like Copernic, unveiled to humanity an aspect of the reality which had been ignored for centuries. Was Spinoza's philosophy a result of a reworking of "Knowledge" or did he just reinterpret, by reshaping them, ancient ideas in order to create a system which, although it is well constructed, would have no basis? The aim of this study is to provide some elements of answer to those questions in order to have a better approach of the question

La thèse analyse le commentaire du Psaume de Moïse ben Samuel Ha-Kohen Ibn Chiquitilla, né à Cordoue vers le début du XIe siècle. La thèse étudie l'incorporation de l'herméneutique coranique-arabe dans les méthodes exégétiques d'Ibn Chiquitilla et le situe dans le contexte intellectuel de l'époque. N'étant pas une analyse historique, il se demande s'il existe un lien entre l'intérêt herméneutique des grammairiens et des rhéteurs pour la dichotomie forme-sens et la linguistique pragmatique communicative.Il analyse leur introduction dans l'exégèse rabbinique par des exégètes ibériques formant ce qui est devenu la méthode d'exégèse peshat. Ce terme, introuvable chez Ibn Chiquitilla, est sous-entendu par ses méthodes et son intérêt pour la forme et le sens grammaticaux. Nous proposons de suivre la tradition grammaticale arabe selon laquelle Ibn Chiquitilla ne confond pas le sens avec la grammaire ou la syntaxe, mais l'accepte comme faisant partie d'une tradition reçue. Le sens opère dans des domaines distincts de la grammaire, mais les deux sont réunis pour expliquer l'intention derrière le texte. Cette idée est élargie pour inclure la déviation grammaticale et lexicale et/ou le langage figuré. Nous demandons si les origines de ces déviations peuvent être attribuées à l'exégèse rabbinique de la période talmudique ainsi qu'aux idées philosophiques contemporaines de l'Ibérie médiévale et du monde islamique en général. Ce faisant, il essaie de prouver que les exégètes ibériques sont moins sur l'innovation et plus sur l'introduction de nouvelles méthodes d'exégèse dans le judaïsme rabbinique médiéval
He thesis analyses the commentary of the Psalm of Moses ben Samuel Ha-Kohen Ibn Chiquitilla, born in Cordoba around the beginning of the 11th century. The thesis studies the incorporation of Qurʾânic-Arabic hermeneutics in the exegetical methods of Ibn Chiquitilla and situates it in the intellectual context of the time. Not being a historical analysis, it questions whether there is a connection between the hermeneutic interest of grammarians and rhetoricians in the form-meaning dichotomy and communicative pragmatic linguistics It analyses their introduction into rabbinic exegesis by Iberian exegetes forming what has become the peshat method of exegesis. This term, not found in Ibn Chiquitilla, is implied by his methods and his interest in grammatical form and meaning. We propose to follow the Arabic grammatical tradition according to which Ibn Chiquitilla does not confuse meaning with grammar or syntax, but accepts it as part of a received tradition. Meaning operates in separate areas of grammar, but the two come together to explain the intent behind the text. This idea is expanded to include grammatical and lexical deviation and/or figurative language. We ask whether the origins of these deviations can be traced to the rabbinical exegesis of the Talmudic period as well as contemporary philosophical ideas in medieval Iberia and the Islamic world in general. In doing so, we try to prove that Iberian exegetes are less about innovation and more about introducing new methods of exegesis into medieval Rabbinic Judaism

Abstract GRAMMATICAL ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS BIBLICAL HEBREW TEXTS ACCORDING TO A TRADITIONAL SEMITIC GRAMMAR Richard Charles McDonald, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2014 Chair: Dr. Russell T. Fuller Although linguistic Hebraists are dissatisfied with traditional grammatical analysis, this dissertation demonstrates that traditional Semitic grammar--primarily based on Arabic grammar and grammarians--still provides the most simple, clear, and accurate description of biblical Hebrew grammar. Chapter 1 illustrates the role of Arabic grammar in the study of Biblical Hebrew grammar. From the inception of biblical Hebrew grammatical studies, Jewish scholars drew from the insights of Arabic grammar. For centuries afterwards, Jewish and Christian Hebrew grammarians followed this method. In recent decades, grammarians have turned to modern linguistic principles, leading to a misunderstanding of various points of Biblical Hebrew syntax. Chapters 2 and 3 analyze the syntax of select verses in Genesis 2 and 3, respectively. Barry Bandstra's Genesis commentary in the Baylor Press series serves as the main point of comparison between the traditional Semitic approach and the modern linguistic approach. Each chapter introduces typical categories and definitions of traditional Semitic grammar, and critiques Bandstra's analysis when it contradicts Semitic grammar. Both chapters discuss a few main grammatical issues; in these discussions, other linguistic Hebraists are taken into consideration. For example, chapter 2 argues that the terms `nominative,' `genitive,' and `accusative,' are still valid grammatical categories in biblical Hebrew syntax, contra Jan Kroeze. Chapter 2 also contends that the pronoun הוּא is not a copula. Chapter 3 demonstrates that the Hebrew verb היה is not a copula but a real verb showing action, and that the energic suffixes on the imperfect do, in fact, have semantic value and do show emphasis. In chapter 4, the analysis shifts to Ruth 1. Robert Holmstedt's commentary on Ruth from the Baylor Press series serves as the point of reference. There are three main discussions in the chapter. First, the chapter outlines biblical Hebrew word order in opposition to Holmstedt's claim that the typical word order is Subject-Verb. Second, the chapter demonstrates that the masoretic accents are crucial for biblical Hebrew syntax. Third, the chapter critiques Holmstedt's theory that the particle ⚀הַ marks headless relative clauses. The remainder of the verses are utilized to highlight traditional analysis or to contradict Holmstedt. Appendix 1 outlines Geoffrey Khan's use of comparative Semitics to defend his copula pronoun theory. The excursus contends that Khan reinterprets Semitic grammar through discourse analysis, and that his copula pronoun theory cannot be substantiated. Appendix 2 differentiates between the participle as a verbal adjective (the traditional Semitic definition), and John A. Cook's placement of the participle in the class of `adjective.' This appendix maintains that the participle cannot be included in the biblical Hebrew verbal system. Appendix 3 responds to the external reader's critiques regarding the author's Arabic descriptions, the analysis of the reflexive Niphal, the use of the masoretic accents, and casus pendens.

In this book an effort is made to present - as far as is now possible - the language spoken by Lutsk Karaims in the second half of the 19th and in the first two decades of the 20th centuries. This is attempted by means of editing 16 letters written in Lutsk Karaim - with Hebrew interpolations. The manuscripts were written by different authors in Hebrew script. Our edition is supplied with several other chapters and indexes. From the introductory part, the reader will obtain an overall picture of the history of manuscripts (Part I). The chapter devoted to the linguistic description of the manuscripts (Part II) aims to present a short grammar of the manuscripts' language. It is complemented with a longer subchapter dealing with the Slavonic structural influences exerted on the authors' idiolects, and with the lexicon of the texts. A separate chapter (Part III) deals with the orthography and the features of the writing itself. The transcription and translation of each manuscript (Part IV) are preceded with a concise palaeographic description and a summary of the content. Finally, the glossary, several indexes, maps, and the facsimile serve the purpose of facilitating the use of the edition (Parts V-IX).

Text in Hebrew with English Summary
This research describes nominal patterns with prefixes m and t as appearing in Parma A in comparison with other traditions viz. Kaufinan, Paris and Y emenite manuscripts. This research has 3 aims: 1. To describe all relevant evidence in Parma A 2. To compare evidence with data in other traditions, including the Bible and Mishnaic Hebrew and Aramaic sources 3. To elaborate on those unique forms in manuscripts which represent genuine Mishnaic Hebrew
Classics and Modern European Languages
D. Litt et Phil. (Semitic Languages)