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Searching for absolute uses of עשה


Susan

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I’m new to the syntax modules and still having trouble figuring out the basics. I’m pretty sure this is simple, but it would help me if somebody could show me how to set this up.

 

I would like to find all instances of the “absolute” use of qal perfect עשה, i.e. without either direct object or adverbial complement. (The question arose by analogy to Ps 22:32.) In the construct pane, I attempted to search for this lexeme (with inflection restrictions) as predicate and  a negated “complement” and “adjunct” within the same phrase, but this is finding many that do have complements (some null and others explicit).

 

Looking through the results from this search makes me think I may be missing some basic understanding of how the syntax is organized (or about how grammar works...), though. Why is it that in Psalm 22:32 there is a null complement included, but Ps 52:11 (another example of the sort of thing I’m looking for), there is no complement at all? 

 

Ps 22:32:

post-33003-0-12360200-1441334678_thumb.jpg

 

Ps 52:11:

 

post-33003-0-92444600-1441336724_thumb.jpg

 

Here is one of the ways I was trying it:

 

post-33003-0-31658000-1441336241_thumb.jpg

 

Thanks!

Edited by Susan
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Hi Susan,

 

  I've played with this and am puzzled too. I think it's related to the P-C structures and the relative levels but I cannot make that theory into a solution. Anyhow, real reason I'm posting : have you read http://www.accordancebible.com/content/common/common.download_file.php?action_special=download_file&sid=d4ada55614b7a60711724804f54228d8&download_file_path=files/documents/117501.pdf&download_file_title=Getting+Started+with+Syntax.pdf ?

 

If you haven't you'll probably want to.

 

thx

D

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Susan,

 

That's an interesting search.  The syntax is getting a significant overhaul for the next release of Accordance, so I encourage waiting for that. It will have more flexible searching and more accurate results.

 

On the distinction between Ps 22.32 and Ps 51.11, we take those as different types of עשׂה, which have different valency requirements (monovalent = subject, no complement; bivalent = subject, one complement; etc.). Eventually you'll want to look for cases of monovalent עשׂה (without any compliments, overt or null) versus bivalent or event trivalent עשׂה (with one or two complements, overt of null). Because we have included null items, this is the kind of search you will be able to do with our syntax database.

 

The עשׂה in Ps 51.11 is monovalent and reflects cases where it is glossed more accurately as "acted", hence, "I will thank you forever because you have acted". Note the contrast with the more complex translation in NRSV, "I will thank you forever, because of what you have done", which not only inserts a null head relative clause "of what" but also takes the verb to be bivalent (= "you have done ___(what)"). While there are many null head relatives in the Hebrew Bible, this precise kind of construction is questionable (I can't think of another example and I've just finished a book on relative clauses).

 

The עשׂה in Ps 22.32 is bivalent, which we determined based on the preceding context. That is, the כי clause motivates the declaring activity of יגידו and the event of עשׂה refers back to צדקתו, that is, "they will declare his righteousness because he has done/accomplished (it = his righteousness)."

 

 

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Thank you for the explanation, Professor Holmstedt. Your explanation about the different valency requirements makes sense to me, and I will look forward to figuring out how to set up the search after the update.

 

(In the meantime I found a list in the Dictionary of Classical Hebrew [below] that I think captures most of what I’m looking for. It does include Psalm 22:32. I suppose they’re using the term "absolute" to describe something a little different from what you’re calling “monovalent", but the quantity of references is manageable enough for me to look through and compare [for the biblical usages] to the syntax in Accordance.)

 

 

post-33003-0-63257700-1441371886_thumb.jpg

Edited by Susan
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Hi Susan,

 

Dr. Holmstedt's s explanation of Pss 52:11 and 22:32 made me wonder how Dahood translated/interpreted, given his understanding of context with double duty everything, so I checked. On Ps 52:11, "because you acted . . . On the absolute use of ʿāśāh, cf. especially Ps 37:5, “Trust in him and he will act,” and Psalms I, p. 228, NOTE thereto. Whence RSV gets the object of ʿāśītā, “because thou hast done it,” is not immediately evident.

 

The note from p. 228 [re. Ps. 37:5]: "he will act. Compare the absolute use of ʿāśāh in Pss 39:10 and 118:24, “This is the day Yahweh acted.”

 

I haven't checked how Robert treated these other verses. But you could add Ps 118:24 to the DCH list to check.

 

Regards,

 

Michel

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