How would I create a Hebrew Construct Search for "Tense Shifting"

[martyrcalvin]

Hello all,

I am trying to create a Hebrew construct search that will find all the occurrences in the HB of when a yiqtol follows a qatal without an intervening wayyiqtol OR when a qatal follows a yiqtol without an intervening wayyiqtol. I am working on the inset hymns (i.e., "verse" or "poetry) of Habakkuk 3:3–16 where this "tense shifting" occurrence takes place and I am trying to see where else it occurs in order to track diachronic development. I am aware of all the varying opinions about viewing the BHVS (Biblical Hebrew Verbal System) as primarily aspectual or primarily tensed based. From the "tense-based" approach to the BHVS, one might call this phenomenon "tense shifting," while from the aspectual approach, one might simply call it the qatal/yiqtol yiqtol/qatal (QYYQ) pattern. This pattern is most common in verse or poetry as opposed to narrative or direct speech. 

 

For example, in Hab 3:7 the qatal/yiqtol pattern without an intervening wayyiqtol appears, a qatal in the cola and a yiqtol in the bicola:

‎  ‎  תַּ֣חַת אָ֔וֶן רָאִ֖יתִי אָהֳלֵ֣י כוּשָׁ֑ן יִרְגְּז֕וּן יְרִיע֖וֹת אֶ֥רֶץ מִדְיָֽן׃ 

I would render this verse like this: "I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, the tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

 

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

thanks,

Josh Henson

[Joel Brown]

Hi Josh, and welcome to the forums!

 

Here's what the construct search would look like (be sure to enable 'Search both directions' at the bottom):

 

 

You see that I have specified the two desired verb forms, qatal and yiqtol.  To ensure that a wayyiqtol does not occur between (in either direction), it needs to be placed in an INTER connecting bubble, then drag a NOT element over the INTER.

 

Let me know how this works for you, and if all of these elements make sense!

[martyrcalvin]

Thanks Joel. So where did you find the option to insert a "yiqtol" and a "qatal?" I find "perfect" (i.e., qatal) and "imperfect" (i.e, yiqtol), but I don't see yiqtol and qatal.

[martyrcalvin]

Is there any way to limit this search to one line of poetry?

[Fabian]

Thanks Joel. So where did you find the option to insert a "yiqtol" and a "qatal?" I find "perfect" (i.e., qatal) and "imperfect" (i.e, yiqtol), but I don't see yiqtol and qatal.

You can change this in the Preferences which one you want. Open the Preferences and type "Verb". Choose then the one for the Hebrew. 

[Joel Brown]

Fabian is correct - change the option under Preferences -> Greek & Hebrew -> Verb Aspect Labels.

 

I don't think there is any way to directly limit it to one line of poetry.  In fact, you'll notice that in the HMT-W4 there aren't any poetic lines displayed at all.  You would need to either use a WITHIN bounds to limit the number of words they can be apart, or perhaps look for some other grammatical or syntactical marker to use as the end point.

[MattChristianOT]

Hello all,

I am trying to create a Hebrew construct search that will find all the occurrences in the HB of when a yiqtol follows a qatal without an intervening wayyiqtol OR when a qatal follows a yiqtol without an intervening wayyiqtol. I am working on the inset hymns (i.e., "verse" or "poetry) of Habakkuk 3:3–16 where this "tense shifting" occurrence takes place and I am trying to see where else it occurs in order to track diachronic development. I am aware of all the varying opinions about viewing the BHVS (Biblical Hebrew Verbal System) as primarily aspectual or primarily tensed based. From the "tense-based" approach to the BHVS, one might call this phenomenon "tense shifting," while from the aspectual approach, one might simply call it the qatal/yiqtol yiqtol/qatal (QYYQ) pattern. This pattern is most common in verse or poetry as opposed to narrative or direct speech. 

 

For example, in Hab 3:7 the qatal/yiqtol pattern without an intervening wayyiqtol appears, a qatal in the cola and a yiqtol in the bicola:

‎  ‎  תַּ֣חַת אָ֔וֶן רָאִ֖יתִי אָהֳלֵ֣י כוּשָׁ֑ן יִרְגְּז֕וּן יְרִיע֖וֹת אֶ֥רֶץ מִדְיָֽן׃ 

I would render this verse like this: "I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, the tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.

 

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

thanks,

Josh Henson

Someone working on Diachronic verbal patterns in the HB?!!! Yay! Can't wait to see your research