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Chapter 9. Parts of speech categories in the lexicon of Modern Hebrew

  • Shmuel Bolozky and Ruth A. Berman
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Usage-Based Studies in Modern Hebrew
This chapter is in the book Usage-Based Studies in Modern Hebrew

Abstract

Parts of speech in Modern Hebrew are analyzed in relation to three categories: Open Class items (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives), Closed Class paradigmatically organized grammatical items (e.g., Pronouns, Case-Markers, Conjunctions), and Intermediate elements lying between the two (e.g., Prepositions, Adverbs, Floating Operators). The chapter considers what is meant by “a word” in Hebrew, taking into account the contrast between older and more current items as well as between conventional dictionaries and the mental lexicon, and the critical role of morphology in the Hebrew lexicon. The verb lexicon is characterized by types of consonantal roots (full versus defective) and the binyan conjugation patterns or prosodic templates. Nouns and adjectives are described as morphologically less restricted than verbs, including loan words that are partially integrated into the Hebrew phonological system, generally not constructed by the nominal morphological patterns (miškalim ‘weights’). So-called “function words”, traditionally grouped together under the label particles and analyzed here as members of either closed or intermediate classes of items, are also typically morphologically non-derived. The chapter concludes by summarizing current trends in lexical innovation in relation to productivity in the MH lexicon.

Abstract

Parts of speech in Modern Hebrew are analyzed in relation to three categories: Open Class items (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives), Closed Class paradigmatically organized grammatical items (e.g., Pronouns, Case-Markers, Conjunctions), and Intermediate elements lying between the two (e.g., Prepositions, Adverbs, Floating Operators). The chapter considers what is meant by “a word” in Hebrew, taking into account the contrast between older and more current items as well as between conventional dictionaries and the mental lexicon, and the critical role of morphology in the Hebrew lexicon. The verb lexicon is characterized by types of consonantal roots (full versus defective) and the binyan conjugation patterns or prosodic templates. Nouns and adjectives are described as morphologically less restricted than verbs, including loan words that are partially integrated into the Hebrew phonological system, generally not constructed by the nominal morphological patterns (miškalim ‘weights’). So-called “function words”, traditionally grouped together under the label particles and analyzed here as members of either closed or intermediate classes of items, are also typically morphologically non-derived. The chapter concludes by summarizing current trends in lexical innovation in relation to productivity in the MH lexicon.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of authors vii
  4. Acknowledgements ix
  5. Transcription and Coding. Transcription, transliteration, Hebrew-specific coding xi
  6. Introduction 1
  7. Part I. General background
  8. Chapter 1. Setting Modern Hebrew in space, time, and culture 19
  9. Chapter 2. Historical overview of Modern Hebrew 27
  10. Chapter 3. Genetic affiliation 41
  11. Chapter 4. Sociolinguistics of Modern Hebrew 51
  12. Chapter 5. Prescriptive activity in Modern Hebrew 97
  13. Chapter 6. Notes on Modern Hebrew phonology and orthography 131
  14. Part II. Morpho-lexicon
  15. Chapter 7. Inflection 147
  16. Chapter 8. Derivation 203
  17. Chapter 9. Parts of speech categories in the lexicon of Modern Hebrew 265
  18. Chapter 10. Voice distinctions 331
  19. Chapter 11. Nominalizations 375
  20. Part III. Syntax
  21. Chapter 12. Agreement alternations in Modern Hebrew 421
  22. Chapter 13. Transitivity and valence 465
  23. Chapter 14. Genitive ( smixut ) constructions in Modern Hebrew 507
  24. Chapter 15. Impersonal and pseudo-impersonal constructions 539
  25. Chapter 16. Negation in Modern Hebrew 583
  26. Chapter 17. List constructions 623
  27. Chapter 18. A usage-based typology of Modern Hebrew syntax 659
  28. Index 677
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.210.10bol

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of authors vii
  4. Acknowledgements ix
  5. Transcription and Coding. Transcription, transliteration, Hebrew-specific coding xi
  6. Introduction 1
  7. Part I. General background
  8. Chapter 1. Setting Modern Hebrew in space, time, and culture 19
  9. Chapter 2. Historical overview of Modern Hebrew 27
  10. Chapter 3. Genetic affiliation 41
  11. Chapter 4. Sociolinguistics of Modern Hebrew 51
  12. Chapter 5. Prescriptive activity in Modern Hebrew 97
  13. Chapter 6. Notes on Modern Hebrew phonology and orthography 131
  14. Part II. Morpho-lexicon
  15. Chapter 7. Inflection 147
  16. Chapter 8. Derivation 203
  17. Chapter 9. Parts of speech categories in the lexicon of Modern Hebrew 265
  18. Chapter 10. Voice distinctions 331
  19. Chapter 11. Nominalizations 375
  20. Part III. Syntax
  21. Chapter 12. Agreement alternations in Modern Hebrew 421
  22. Chapter 13. Transitivity and valence 465
  23. Chapter 14. Genitive ( smixut ) constructions in Modern Hebrew 507
  24. Chapter 15. Impersonal and pseudo-impersonal constructions 539
  25. Chapter 16. Negation in Modern Hebrew 583
  26. Chapter 17. List constructions 623
  27. Chapter 18. A usage-based typology of Modern Hebrew syntax 659
  28. Index 677
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