Ch. 37 Supplements

Requirements

Others

• Beginning with chapter 37, Dr. Garrett introduces grammar related to discourse analysis, a recent development in linguistic study.
• Many first-year grammar textbooks have no discussion about it at all.
• Discourse analysis sheds more light on how the different verbal forms are used to accomplish various functions.
• They help readers analyze relationships between adjacent clauses.
• We have finished all the chapters on phonology and morphology.
• No more new verbal forms!
• The quizzes from now on will focus on vocabulary and Bible translation.
• Please pay attention to the “Assignment Chart” on Canvas. The translation questions are taken from the list.

Tips

• A special function of אִם
• When אִם appears in an oath, its function is special. I will quote some grammar here:
• After an oath formula (explicit or implied) or an exclamation, אִם is used to begin the protasis of a conditional sentence (‘if …’). But as an oath, the protasis is functioning as a declaration. When the protasis that begins with אִם is understood as a declaration, one must reverse its positive or negative sense, meaning that a negative protasis (אִם לֹא) is a positive declaration, and a positive protasis (אִם) is a negative declaration. Because of this reversal, this use of אִם is sometimes called the privative אִם. (Beckman, John C.. Williams Hebrew Syntax, Third Edition . University of Toronto Press. Kindle Edition, §456.)
• In the textbook, p. 294, the Reading passages, 1 Kgs 17:1, we see this construction. Elijah said to Ahab:
• אִם־יִהְיֶ֛ה הַשָּׁנִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה טַ֣ל וּמָטָ֑ר כִּ֖י אִם־לְפִ֥י דְבָרִֽי
• Because of the אִם at the beginning of the clause, the sentence should be translated as:
• There will be no dew or rain these years unless according to my word (by my word).
• Elijah is essentially saying: There will be no dew or rain these years unless I say it will rain. (Of course, Elijah has no power to do it by himself. He was sent by God to give the prophecy.)
• In 2 Kgs 9:26a, we see an example of אִם לֹא.
• אִם־לֹ֡א אֶת־דְּמֵ֣י נָבוֹת֩ וְאֶת־דְּמֵ֨י בָנָ֜יו רָאִ֤יתִי אֶ֙מֶשׁ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֥י לְךָ֛ בַּחֶלְקָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה
• Translation: (Surely) I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons—declares the LORD—I will repay you on this plot of ground.’