Thursday, January 08, 2009

My first detail grammar lesson

Here is Psalm 1:1 - any comments from those who really think grammar? For two years I have avoided learning the 'rules' but now the time has come. I am wondering if I can automate part of this long manual process...


Part of Speech Person Number Gender Sfx Root Pfx Form Aspect Tense
Interjection
Singular
י אשׁר



Noun
Singular Non-specific
אישׁ הָ Absolute

Relative Pronoun
Singular Non-specific
אשׁר



Negative Particle



לא



Verb 3 Singular

הלך
Qal Indeterminate Perfect
Noun
Singular Non-specific ת עץה בּ Construct

Noun
Plural Non-specific ים רשׁע
Absolute

Noun
Singular Non-specific
דרך וּבְ Construct

Noun
Plural Non-specific ים חטא
Absolute

Negative Particle



לא



Verb 3 Singular

עמד
Qal Indeterminate Perfect
Noun
Singular

מושׁב וּבְ Construct

Noun
Plural Non-specific ים לץ
Absolute

Negative Particle



לא



Verb 3 Singular

ישׁב
Qal Indeterminate Perfect


Update: see here for a helpful presentation on grammar and gender. HT Suzanne.

5 comments:

David E. S. Stein said...

What is the basis for your classification of genders as “non-specific” (rather than the more conventional “masculine” and “feminine”)?

Bob MacDonald said...

David - last week, I read your articles here and I thought - this distinction between grammatical and social gender is a really helpful distinction - and by the way, I thought your presentation was very well timed - a remarkable use of power point and words together. You changed my mind on some of what I had not adequately distinguished in other grammar books.

As I was developing my list of choices, I did not want to use your designation 'not female' since it can be read the wrong way when it is isolated from other words, so I picked non-specific. I probably should change the columns to two and have male-female-non-specific, and masculine-feminine in two separate choices - but most of the time I don't want to get to this level of distinction.

You may know that I was biased towards the understanding of ish as a male - not for theological reasons but because I considered that male was the meaning of the term. Your presentation has allowed me to think differently about this. I continue to think that this psalm contrasts singular and plural but I am relieved to think that my occasional stretch towards inclusive language does not necessarily reflect only my own cultural bias.

Thanks for your influence and your question and for your work and to Suzanne for pointing you out to me at exactly the moment that I am wrestling with all these details.

I still have questions on what I will put in my list of possible aspect categories.

David E. S. Stein said...

Thank you for your explanation; its various aspects make sense to me.

I am pleased that my efforts have been helpful to you.

Best wishes in your ongoing analysis.

David E. S. Stein said...

FYI: My Web site's URLs have changed, as I migrated to a new ISP. (I mention this for the sake of others who might happen by, and perhaps for your sake as well.) The page that you consulted is now found here:
http://editor.davidesstein.name/ContempTorahpg.htm

Bob MacDonald said...

Hi David - thanks for the update. I know what a nuisance correcting broken links can be

I found and corrected the link to your article above using the U of A site

but the page in your comment above does not link for me.