Why did the future form of the verb displace the imperative form in the informal register of Modern Hebrew?
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Chanan Ariel
Abstract
This paper addresses a phenomenon in colloquial Modern Hebrew: the use of the future form of the verb rather than the imperative form to convey a command. In Biblical Hebrew both forms are used to convey commands, but in Modern Hebrew the use of the future form of the verb to express commands is confined to the informal register. The distribution of the forms in Biblical Hebrew and in Modern Hebrew is shown to be dramatically different. This suggests that the phenomenon in Modern Hebrew does not have its roots in Biblical Hebrew. Further historical survey indicates that it is a relatively new development. From this historical survey I conclude that the use of the future to express a command in Modern Hebrew has its roots in Rabbinic Hebrew of the 18th and 19th centuries and that the underlying factors which brought this situation about are a process of what is sometimes called ‘insubordination’ and system simplification.
Abstract
This paper addresses a phenomenon in colloquial Modern Hebrew: the use of the future form of the verb rather than the imperative form to convey a command. In Biblical Hebrew both forms are used to convey commands, but in Modern Hebrew the use of the future form of the verb to express commands is confined to the informal register. The distribution of the forms in Biblical Hebrew and in Modern Hebrew is shown to be dramatically different. This suggests that the phenomenon in Modern Hebrew does not have its roots in Biblical Hebrew. Further historical survey indicates that it is a relatively new development. From this historical survey I conclude that the use of the future to express a command in Modern Hebrew has its roots in Rabbinic Hebrew of the 18th and 19th centuries and that the underlying factors which brought this situation about are a process of what is sometimes called ‘insubordination’ and system simplification.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgement and Preface ix
- Introduction 1
- The limits of multiple-source contact influence 33
- Existential possessive modality in the emergence of Modern Hebrew 55
- The derivation of a concessive from an aspectual adverb by reanalysis in Modern Hebrew 95
- Why did the future form of the verb displace the imperative form in the informal register of Modern Hebrew? 117
- The change in Hebrew from a V-framed to an S-framed Language 143
- From written to spoken usage 179
- Language change, prescriptive language, and spontaneous speech in Modern Hebrew 201
- The biblical sources of Modern Hebrew syntax 221
- Can there be language continuity in language contact? 257
- Our creolized tongues 287
- Why do children lead contact-induced language change in some contexts but not others? 321
- Variation and conventionalization in language emergence 337
- “Mame Loshen” 365
- Index 387
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgement and Preface ix
- Introduction 1
- The limits of multiple-source contact influence 33
- Existential possessive modality in the emergence of Modern Hebrew 55
- The derivation of a concessive from an aspectual adverb by reanalysis in Modern Hebrew 95
- Why did the future form of the verb displace the imperative form in the informal register of Modern Hebrew? 117
- The change in Hebrew from a V-framed to an S-framed Language 143
- From written to spoken usage 179
- Language change, prescriptive language, and spontaneous speech in Modern Hebrew 201
- The biblical sources of Modern Hebrew syntax 221
- Can there be language continuity in language contact? 257
- Our creolized tongues 287
- Why do children lead contact-induced language change in some contexts but not others? 321
- Variation and conventionalization in language emergence 337
- “Mame Loshen” 365
- Index 387
