Abstract
The primary aim of this paper is to provide a functional profile of verbal Left Dislocation (=LD) constructions in the Torah and Former Prophets (Genesis–2Kings). As a precursor, however, an abbreviated syntactico-semantic description of LD constructions within the aforementioned corpus is provided. This description consists of seven overlapping constructional schemas (i.e. construction types) that form a radial network around a typologically prototypical schema. Accordingly, each schematic type is more or less prototypical depending on its family resemblance (i.e. shared attributes) to the prototype. In light of this formal profile, and of the fact that grammatical constructions are equal parts form and function, the remainder and central focus of the paper will entail a detailed functional explanation of LD. This functional profile will consist of two complementary parts: 1) the central factors motivating the use of LD, and 2) the prototypical and non-prototypical discourse-pragmatic functions achieved by the construction in discourse. Together with the formal description, this functional explanation reveals a textured profile of the LD category, one that consists of a unified radial network of overlapping constructional types.
Highlights
Despite several studies1 on the so-called Left-Dislocation (=LD) construction in Biblical Hebrew (=BH), linguists have failed to reach a consensus with respect to the construction’s syntactic, semantic or discourse-pragmatic profile
Drawing on recent typological and theoretical research on the syntactic, semantic, and discourse-pragmatic attributes of LD constructions across languages, a set of criteria was developed for the identification and classification of LD constructions in BH.2
Further analysis revealed that these tokens reflect an abstract network of approximately seven overlapping constructional schemas4 where each schema is distinguished based on the clustering together of syntactico-semantic attributes and/or discourse-pragmatic functions
Summary
Despite several studies on the so-called Left-Dislocation (=LD) construction in Biblical Hebrew (=BH), linguists have failed to reach a consensus with respect to the construction’s syntactic, semantic or discourse-pragmatic profile. Further analysis revealed that these tokens reflect an abstract network of approximately seven overlapping constructional schemas (i.e. construction types) where each schema is distinguished based on the clustering together of syntactico-semantic attributes and/or discourse-pragmatic functions.5 These attributes and functions expose the degree to which each schema is related to a typologically prototypical LD schema. Each constructional schema is determined to be more or less prototypical depending on its respective degree of family resemblance (i.e. shared syntactico-semantic and discourse pragmatic attributes) to the prototypical schema.6 This analysis reveals a textured profile of the LD category in BH, one that consists of a unified radial network of overlapping constructional schemas. As a precursor, I will provide a brief overview of the seven schematic constructions identified in the aforementioned study, giving special attention to their syntactico-semantic attributes. The remainder of the paper will concern the functional profile of LD in BH, in which I will discuss both the central factors motivating the use of LD, and the discourse-pragmatic functions achieved by the construction in discourse
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