The Role of Contextual Reference in the Functional Of the WAW Inversion In Hebrew Language.

Abstract

This research studies the cases of the "WAW Inversion" (al-amilah) in the old Hebrew texts (The Old Testament), and some of the medieval and modern Hebrew poetry in which the "WAW Inversion" was used. This study is not limited to the grammatical aspects of "WAW Inversion"; it seeks to demonstrate the role of the original context by using its verbal clues to determine the role of "WAW Inversion". It also seeks to explain the functions of "WAW Inversion" in term of conjunction, sequence and tense inversion through a group of meanings conveyed by the texts studied.

The study also discusses the formal cases of "WAW Inversion" and the absence of its function in terms of tense in some of the late books of the Old Testament due to the effect of some forms of Aramaic contemporary to the period of recording these books, especially the Rabbinic Hebrew. This is a matter never referred to in Hebrew syntax books, which only referred to the function of the “WAW Inversion” and its cases depending on the verb following it. It is also contrary to the excerpts taken from the Old Testament books and the multiplicity of cases of usage and linguistic functions in the ancient and modern books. The research also studied the historical and linguistic factors that caused the gradual regression of the “WAW” and its function regardless of its use in the traditional form which keep recurring in the books of the Torah. This research quotes some medieval and modern Hebrew poetry selections that include cases of "WAW Inversion" imitating the style of the Old Testament without forming a constant and clear phenomenon. This research also demonstrates the problem of the “WAW Inversion” and its chaotic use in the Modern Hebrew texts, and it sheds light on the cases of use, which was neglected in many books. This use was not constant, and it was controlled by linguistic factors in the first place, like the use of present from which was more dominant than other forms, in addition to its being subject to other factors like the subject matter, the text, and translation differing from one writer to another.