Table Of ContentA Reference Grammar
of Modern Hebrew
EDNA AMIR COFFIN
Professor Emerita of Hebrew Language and Literature
Department <Jf Near Eastern Studies
University of Michigan
SHMUEL BOLOZKY
Professor of Hebrew
Department of Judaic and Near Easlem Studies
University of Massachusetts
CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
l'l!RLISHED RY THE PRHSS SY!'\DICATE OF THE lJNIVfRSITY 01' CAMRRIDGii
The Pitt Huilding, Trumpington Stret:l, Cambridge, United Kingdom
C-\:\1 R R li)G li UNI VHRSITY PRESS
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK
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477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
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Dock House, The waterfront, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
http:!/ www .cambridge.urg
D Edna Coffin and Shmuel Tlolozky 2005
This book is in copyright Subject to statutory exception
and to the provision~ of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no repmductionof any part may take place without
the written pem1i ssiun of Cambridg~: University Press.
First published 2005
Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge
Typeset by authors
A catalogue record of this book is uvai/ab/e.fi"om the British Library
ISBN 0 521 820332 hardback
ISHN 0 521 527333 paperback
For Leah. Jonah, Rachel, Aaron and Harlan
For Michal and Noa
CONTENTS
Preface
X Ill
Chapter 1 Preliminary discussion M~TJ'M 1
1.1 Parts of speech 1:::1~1 ~p~n
1.2 Grammatical functions nPpnpl 'w~pll!l 3
1.3 Words and patterns o~~m~1 O'l::lr.l 4
1.4 Gender and number 1!)01:)1 1'r.l 7
1.5 Open and closed word mmn!l O'~'l:l m~1JP 7
classes
m1m:;~1
1.6 Phrase constituents 0'!l11'S ':::1':>1 12
1.7 Rules of agreement ill:lNl'lil ,~,::J 13
Chapter 2 Writing and pronunciation M'')fll !at!~ 16
2.1 Introduction NlJY.l 16
2.2 Consonants and OilY./ 0'Nlili11 0'11~')1 17
corresponding sounds
Cl')~))Y.)
2.3 The Hebrew vowel system n'1:J.Y::l mll1mn nJ1YI:l 21
2.4 Texts with and without 'JY.l'O '~J1 0)1 CJ'\:)0j7\:) 23
vowels l'l))ll)ll
2.5 Diacritic marks other than Ol'NY.I )nJil 'lY.l'O 25
vowels mllun
2.6 Syllables m1::1n 27
2.7 Stress patterns nr.J)J\:)il m'lJn 2~
2.8 Dialectal variation in n"m:J n'"P~N'1 nmw 31
consonant articulation 0'11::1')1
Chapter 3 The verb system ))1,£11'1 tl~.,,.~ 33
3.1 Introduction: verb ~)Jl!lil ':I 'Jl : Nl ::IY.l 33
components
3.2 Citation fonns m'll7"Y.l nn1~ 34
3.3 Verb tenses ')Jl!lil 'lY.l l 35
3.4 Historical notes: Biblical CJ'll:l't: m'll\:)O"il nn)Jn 40
tenses and aspects ~)Jl!l::l 0'"P!l0Nl
3.5 Moods and verbal nouns n'l)J!l mY.lwl CJ'onm 44
3.6 Verb pattern groups 0'l"l::l 47
3.7 Verb categorization O'~).l!l ')10 51
3.8 With and without linking verbs '').l!l ''Jl 0).1 52
1l)l
viii Contents
3.9 Verbs with obligatory prepositions m~'m tl'~~!l 53
m:::>i~lY-3 on'
3.10 Active, stative and '~~1!1 ,0":J.'t1jJN tl'~~!:l 54
inchoative verbs :J.!IY.) 'll''tll :::1~ Y.)
Chapter 4 Verb pattern groups n,,m O'l"l3 56
4.1 Verb pattern: pa 'a/ (~p) ~~~ )''):::1 56
4.2 Verb pattern: nij'al ~~!?~ )"l:J. 71
4.3 Verb pattern: pi'el C'J)J'!l) ~.)l!il )ll):J. Sl
4.4 Verb pattern: pu 'al C'Jln!l) ~~~ 1"l :J 90
4.5 Verb pattern: hilpa 'el ~)!~J;1D 1"lJ 97
4.6 Verb pattern: h(fil ~))'.!?i) )")) 108
4.7 Verb pattern: hr~fal C~ll!lm) ~)!!?D l"l:J. 119
Chapter 5 The noun system a~n n:t,»D 125
5. L Introduction to the noun system n:>,yr.~~ z..ctm 125
O'tlil
5.2 Indefinite and definite m'N'tll O')lil'Y-3 rm:::l\!1 131
noun f()rms 0'll1l'r.l
5.3 Gender tt~atures 'l'r.lil m'l):>n 132
5.4 Number features 1!loon mm:>n 137
5.5 Noun patterns rwm\!J :nl'l::m 131)
5.6 Nouns derived from verbs O'~Y!lY-3 D'iH)o :nlr.IYJ 143
5.7 Noun patterns associated m7l':J DYJ :nl'l:m 147
with semantic features l1N1't1'l'1 JO 111'll:>n
5.8 Significant patterns with 153
1\'Jpn O\!J nPl:J.n
no semantic association 't1lY.lO
5.9 Acronyms D'llP'1t1ll 155
Chapter6 Pronouns O"U':J 158
6.1 Forms of personal pronouns onn,:m 'llO 158
6.2 Independent subject 0'111!1 ~l) "))':;) 160
pronouns
6.3 Pronoun suffixes and n'~'nn> O'"l1:m O"ll'=> 164
prefixes in verbs and in ~l'1!l:J Cn'!llO 1N
existential expressions Dl'P "1\J'J.J.l
6.4 Pronouns suffixed to nouns l11'!ll0:> D'11J.n 0"1l':> 168
and prepositions on, m~m71 oYJ~
Contents
IX
6.5 Demonstrative pronouns UJ1 ''1l':::l 170
6.6 Interrogative and relative iiP' t ~~1)~::>1 n'N'll nu>:> 173
pronouns
6.7 Impersonal pronouns O"r.ll10 o~~,l~:> 164
Chapter 7 Numerals t'l',.l)~~ 177
7.1 Free counting i11'!)0 177
7.2 Cardinal numbers {0"110') Ol))):) 0'1.!:!0):) 182
7.3 Noun phrases with 0)1 CJll)r.l\!J 0~!)11~~ 183
cardinal numbers 0~))):) 0'1.!:!0):)
7.4 Ordinal numbers Ol1i10 CJ~1!l0r.l IR7
(Oll11i~O)
7.5 Fractions 188
0~1::J.\!J
7.6 Multiplication values '\!} D'~!l:J 189
7.7 Numeric value of letters 190
'1!l0r.lil 11lli1
l11ll11N
7.8 Phrases: days of the week. 'Y.ll : Ol!l11 >:::! 191
dates, telling time, age , 0':::l>iNl1 ,ll1::J.\!Ji1
'~~ ,ml'\!J
Chapter 8 Adjectives <awn ,,~e,n) ..,~e,n n,~~ 194
8.1 Introduction: fanning mr.l\!J l11'~' : N1::J.r.l · 194
adjectives 1N1l1
8.2 Comparative and i1N11\!Jil ~\!J 0~1Nl1 195
superlative adjectives
111l1~1
8.3 Forming adjectives by _,)) 1N1l1 l11Y.l\!J l1l>~~ 197
adding suffix -i ,_ ]1!)01]1
~,.,
8.4 Nouns and adjectives of o~l"~r.ln o~1Nm mr.l\!J 198
affiliation l11:l"\!J
n~mpr.ltl1'l1~llp
8.5 Participles that function as nnp!lnr.ln 'l1)'J m11~ 202
adjectives
0~1Nl1:>
8.6 Special patterns 204
nnnw~ m~l:Jl1
Chapter 9 Adverbs and adverbial '.01..,,!11, ~.»,.Oft ,,NlS'I 209
expressions
·n~e~n
9.1 Introduction N1JY.l 209
9.2 Adverbs grouped according l!l ~)) Ol11N>l1l11~0 209
to t{)rm 0]111!::1
Content.~
9.3 Adverbs grouped according '!:1 ':7~ o,,,Nm l11'0 213
to function on'l'P!:In
9.4 Adverbs and 'degree' words m~:nr.n 0'11N'n 214
n1'0
9.5 Sentential adverbs tl!:l\!.10 ,,,N'n 218
Chapter 10 Particles J'll'~'D 225
10.1 Introduction I'•O:JO 225
10.2 The particle 'et' before 'l!:IJ "nN" n'~"on 225
definite direct objects Ql}I11'1J O"ln'C Ql!))1'!!
1'\!.l'n N\!.l"::m ;..,
10.3 Prepositions: prefixes, ,m,~nnn : on' m'J'r.> 228
independent prepositions ml11!:1 on' m':7'm
10.4 Prepositions or adverbs'? ?':7lll!:l '1N1n 1N on' m':7'o 244
10.5 Coordinating and 11\!.I'P m'J'O 246
correlative conjunctions
10.6 Subordinators l):J~'ll )'11J'.O 248
10.7 Exclamation particles and ''1tl':J1 nN'1P m';no 250
expressions nN'1P
Chapter 11 Noun phrases 252
C"3D~ C'!:ll,,~
11.1 Introduction to noun phrases O'!ln'!!J N'l:JO 252
Oll)n\!)
11.2 Noun phrase: noun+ + 0!1~ O'tl : lJIJ\!.1 I'J'l1'!! 253
adjective 1Nm 0\!.1
t 1.3 Comparative and m7!ln '1N1m )'1n' '1Nm 257
superlative adjectives
11.4 Apposition noun phrases n11on '!l'l"'''~ 260
11.5 Construct phrases m:::.,.oo '!In'~ 261
11.6 Phrases ofpossession l"lP '!l'l1'!1 275
11.7 Phrases with n:n "'ll':J Oll O'!l'l1'!1 277
demonstrative pronouns
11.8 Prepositional phrases on' '!111'::1 281
1l.9 Numerical and quantifier nm:::.1 1!10.0 '!1'1'~ 281
phrases
11.10 Noun phrases with m':7'.0 0~ O''liJ'tl O'!l)1l.:::l 2R3
determiners mv;:m
11.11 Gerunds and infinitives in ~Yl!:l mr.>\!.11 n';:!l~!l mo~t~ 287
noun phrases 0"JO'tl 0'!:11"'1':::1:::1
Contents XI
Chapter 12 Verb phrases t:t"!1)11~ a•~,,,~ 288
12. t Introduction to verb O"~)J)!l 0'!lll'!t~ N1Jr.:l 288
phrases
12.2 Verb phrases: verbs and 0'~).1!) : 0"7)11!) 0'011'~ 2&8
objects 0'N'01r.l1
12.3 Compound verb phrases 0':J=>l1Y.l 0"~lll!l O'!l'll'~ 291
12.4 Grouping verbs by O'!ln':::~ ~\? 'tllOU ln>u 297
semantic considerations Ol'>~).ll!l
12.5 Modal verbs O"~N11Y.l O'>~)J!l 298
12.6 Habitual aspect phrases ('~llil?) \JjJ!lUN '!l11'~ 298
12.7 Subjunctive and i1~N\!IO , l)'}ln '!lll'~ 299
possibility phrases nn'tl!lN1
Chapter 13 Modal \-'erbs and t:I"~N'TU3 t:l""''21 t:l'7)1.!:1 300
expressions
13.1 Introduction to modality In''JN1l0; Nl:JO 300
13.2 Modal verb phrases 0"'JN11r.l O"'J)I)!l 0'!l1l'!t 301
13.3 impersonal modal O''Dnu 0'''JN11r.l 0'"1\J':J 305
expressions
13.4 Temporal aspects in J"nl~Ni10J )Y.lli1 \JjJ!>UN 306
modality
13.5 Modality expressed by 0)1 0''1\JlJJ In''JNiu:l 311
phrases with nm 'i1'il'
Chapter 14 Clauses and sentences t:I'".!:I'0~1 ,,,,~.!:! 314
14.1 Introduction NlJO 314
14.2 Verbal sentences on;)ll!l O'\J!l\!10 316
14.3 Nominal sentences onm\!1 0'\J!l\!IO 318
14.4 Equational sentences l)il)l l\J!I\!Ir.:l 318
14.5 Existential sentences Ol'P '\J!l\!IY.l 323
14.6 Sentences of possession l"ljJ )\:)!)\!JJJ 324
14.7 Elliptical sentences 0'1tm 0'\J!l\!IY.l 330
14.8 Classification of )!) ,)I 0'\J!l\!10 l wu 332
sentences by function 01'f.'!ln
14.9 Sentence classification by O)J)J '!l ;)I 0'\J!l'OO lll'U 334
structure
14.10 Simple sentences O'\JW!l 0'\J!l\!lr.:l 335
14.11 Coordinate/compound O'n'NO 0'\J!l\!lr.:l 337
sentences C0'1:nnr.:l)
XII Contents
14.12 Complex sentences C':J:nm 0'\J!l~t~P 338
14.13 Complement clauses nlt.l'~\!.1~ TIPplO!l 340
14.14 Attributive clauses 'Nll~ m'jJlO!l 344
14.15 Relative clauses np'l nl'PlO!l 345
14.16 Adverbial clauses nl'~N'::l1ll"TN m'jJlO!l 349
14.17 Conditional sentences ll'()l1 l\J!)\!)~ 357
14.18 Integrated sentences Ol:J~llt'~ Ql\J!l\!.1~ 337
Chapter 15 Language in context ,vpn:a ,,v~ 364
15.1 Introduction Nllt.l 364
15.2 Sentence or utterance? ! }I:JO lN \J!llt'O 365
15.3 Topic and comment ~mm N\!m 366
15.4 Focus and topic ilP'm N~t~ll 369
15.5 Deixis - reference to , ")U~ Tlltm,nm nP~1 369
person, time and place Olpo7l )OlJ
15.6 Reported speech-direct "l'P).Il 1'~t~' :1om 1l:J'i 373
and indirect
15.7 Language registers 1llt'J ':J'It'O 377
15.8 Genres oftext \JOP\J 'J\!J m:rm 381
15.9 Cohesion and coherence l1'1':J7l nl'il\!JljJ 382
of text
15.10 Language in context: mmn : 1~t~pn:::t 11~t~'J 384
sample texts
Appendices b'nOV3 390
Appendix 1 Verb tables O'~Y!l nl'm mm~ 390
Appendix 2 Noun tables nm~t~ m'm mm~ 416
Appendix 3 Particle tables nl'J'P mm~ 425
Appendix 4 Punctuation rules plO'!ln 'JJJ 428
Appendix 5 Plene writing N~Y.l :JlTIJ 436
Index of grammatical topics O"Pl"TPl O'N~t~lJ Up1l'N 438
