A Reference Grammar of Modern Hebrew

by Edna Amir Coffin , Shmuel Bolozky

• ISBN13: 9780521527330
• ISBN10: 0521527333
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-04
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

A Reference Grammar of Modern Hebrew provides a clearly-structured and accessible guide to all aspects of contemporary Hebrew grammar. Systematically organised, it presents the basic structures of the language, looking at grammatical categories, phrases, expressions, and the construction of clauses and sentences. Drawing on their extensive experience of teaching Hebrew to English-speaking students, the authors also provide a wide range of examples to illustrate each point, and introduce in a clear and accessible way the writing and pronunciation of the language, its punctuation rules, and its use in context. Wherever possible, equivalent Hebrew terminology is given to facilitate students' use of Hebrew language textbooks. Specialised linguistic terminology is kept to a minimum, and verb and noun tables are provided as well as a comprehensive index of terms, making this both a useful teaching resource and an easy-to-use reference tool for those wishing to look up specific details of the language.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Chapter 1 Preliminary discussion	1	(15)
1.1 Parts of speech	1	(2)
1.2 Grammatical functions	3	(1)
1.3 Words and patterns	4	(3)
1.4 Gender and number	7	(1)
1.5 Open and closed word classes	7	(5)
1.6 Phrase constituents	12	(1)
1.7 Rules of agreement	13	(3)
Chapter 2 Writing and pronunciation	16	(17)
2.1 Introduction roan	16	(1)
2.2 Consonants and	17	(4)
2.3 The Hebrew vowel system	21	(2)
2.4 Texts with and without vowels	23	(2)
2.5 Diacritic marks other than vowels	25	(2)
2.6 Syllables	27	(1)
2.7 Stress patterns	28	(3)
2.8 Dialectal variation in consonant articulation	31	(2)
Chapter 3 The verb system	33	(23)
3.1 Introduction: verb components	33	(1)
3.2 Citation forms	34	(1)
3.3 Verb tenses 5vton	35	(5)
3.4 Historical notes: Biblical tenses and aspect	40	(4)
3.5 Moods and verbal nouns	44	(3)
3.6 Verb pattern groups	47	(4)
3.7 Verb categorization	51	(1)
3.8 With and without linking verbs	52	(1)
3.9 Verbs with obligatory prepositions	53	(1)
3.10 Active, stative and inchoative verbs	54	(2)
Chapter 4 Verb pattern groups	56	(69)
4.1 Verb pattern: pa'al	56	(15)
4.2 Verb pattern: nif al	71	(10)
4.3 Verb pattern: pi'el	81	(9)
4.4 Verb pattern: pu'al	90	(7)
4.5 Verb pattern: hitpa'el	97	(11)
4.6 Verb pattern: hif il	108	(11)
4.7 Verb pattern: huf'al	119	(6)
Chapter 5 The noun system	125	(33)
5.1 Introduction to the noun system	125	(6)
5.2 Indefinite and definite noun forms	131	(1)
5.3 Gender features	132	(5)
5.4 Number features	137	(2)
5.5 Noun patterns	139	(4)
5.6 Nouns derived from verbs	143	(4)
5.7 Noun patterns associated with semantic features	147	(6)
5.8 Significant patterns with no semantic association	153	(2)
5.9 Acronyms	155	(3)
Chapter 6 Pronouns	158	(19)
6.1 Forms of personal pronouns	158	(2)
6.2 Independent subject pronouns	160	(4)
6.3 Pronoun suffixes and prefixes in verbs and in existential expressions	164	(4)
6.4 Pronouns suffixed to nouns and prepositions	168	(2)
6.5 Demonstrative pronouns	170	(3)
6.6 Interrogative and relative pronouns	173
6.7 Impersonal pronouns	164	(13)
Chapter 7 Numerals	177	(17)
7.1 Free counting	177	(5)
7.2 Cardinal numbers	182	(1)
7.3 Noun phrases with cardinal numbers	183	(4)
7.4 Ordinal numbers	187	(1)
7.5 Fractions	188	(1)
7.6 Multiplication values	189	(1)
7.7 Numeric value of letters	190	(1)
7.8 Phrases: days of the week, dates, telling time, age	191	(3)
Chapter 8 Adjectives	194	(15)
8.1 Introduction: forming adjectives	194	(1)
8.2 Comparative and superlative adjectives	195	(2)
8.3 Forming adjectives by adding suffix -i	197	(1)
8.4 Nouns and adjectives of affiliation	198	(4)
8.5 Participles that function as adjectives	202	(2)
8.6 Special patterns	204	(5)
Chapter 9 Adverbs and adverbial expressions	209	(16)
9.1 Introduction	209	(1)
9.2 Adverbs grouped according to form	209	(4)
9.3 Adverbs grouped according to function	213	(1)
9.4 Adverbs and 'degree' words	214	(4)
9.5 Sentential adverbs	218	(7)
Chapter 10 Particles	225	(27)
10.1 Introduction	225	(1)
10.2 The particle 'et' before definite direct objects	225	(3)
10.3 Prepositions: prefixes independent prepositions	228	(16)
10.4 Prepositions or adverbs?	244	(2)
10.5 Coordinating and correlative conjunctions	246	(2)
10.6 Subordinators	248	(2)
10.7 Exclamation particles and expressions	250	(2)
Chapter 11 Noun phrases	252	(36)
11.1 Introduction to noun phrases	252	(1)
11.2 Noun phrase: noun + adjective	253	(4)
11.3 Comparative and superlative adjectives	257	(3)
11.4 Apposition noun phrases	260	(1)
11.5 Construct phrases	261	(14)
11.6 Phrases of possession	275	(2)
11.7 Phrases with demonstrative pronouns	277	(4)
11.8 Prepositional phrases	281	(1)
11.9 Numerical and quantifier phrases	281	(2)
11.10 Noun phrases with determiners	283	(4)
11.11 Gerunds and infinitives in noun phrases	287	(1)
Chapter 12 Verb phrases	288	(12)
12.1 Introduction to verb phrases	288	(1)
12.2 Verb phrases: verbs and objects	288	(3)
12.3 Compound verb phrases	291	(6)
12.4 Grouping verbs by semantic considerations	297	(1)
12.5 Modal verbs	298	(1)
12.6 Habitual aspect phrases	298	(1)
12.7 Subjunctive and possibility phrases	299	(1)
Chapter 13 Modal verbs and expressions	300	(14)
13.1 Introduction to modality	300	(1)
13.2 Modal verb phrases	301	(4)
13.3 Impersonal modal expressions	305	(1)
13.4 Temporal aspects in modality	306	(5)
13.5 Modality expressed by phrases with	311	(3)
Chapter 14 Clauses and sentences	314	(50)
14.1 Introduction roan	314	(2)
14.2 Verbal sentences	316	(2)
14.3 Nominal sentences	318	(1)
14.4 Equational sentences	318	(5)
14.5 Existential sentences	323	(1)
14.6 Sentences of possession	324	(6)
14.7 Elliptical sentences	330	(2)
14.8 Classification of sentences by function	332	(2)
14.9 Sentence classification by structure	334	(1)
14.10 Simple sentences	335	(2)
14.11 Coordinate/compound sentences	337	(1)
14.12 Complex sentences	338	(2)
14.13 Complement clauses	340	(4)
14.14 Attributive clauses	344	(1)
14.15 Relative clauses	345	(4)
14.16 Adverbial clauses	349	(8)
14.17 Conditional sentences	357
14.18 Integrated sentences	337	(27)
Chapter 15 Language in context	364	(26)
15.1 Introduction	364	(1)
15.2 Sentence or utterance?	365	(1)
15.3 Topic and comment	366	(3)
15.4 Focus and topic	369	(1)
15.5 Deixis - reference to person, time and place	369	(4)
15.6 Reported speech - direct and indirect	373	(4)
15.7 Language registers	377	(4)
15.8 Genres of text	381	(1)
15.9 Cohesion and coherence of text	382	(2)
15.10 Language in context: sample texts	384	(6)
Appendices	390	(48)
Appendix 1 Verb tables	390	(26)
Appendix 2 Noun tables	416	(9)
Appendix 3 Particle tables	425	(3)
Appendix 4 Punctuation rules	428	(8)
Appendix 5 Plene writing	436	(2)
Index of grammatical topics	438