33 it came to pass that” translation value, but rather to critically evaluate the implications
and ramifications of such a recommendation. As stated previously, this will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 10.
3.3.10 Analytical Summary of the Descriptive Approach
In the descriptive grammars and publications reviewed here, there is evidence of greater attention being paid to the syntactic environments in which
occurs. There is also an inevitable shift in terminology used to describe
—the term episode is an example. Additionally, there is an increasing awareness of the role
seems to play not only in past-tense narrative, but also the role
appears to have in the interclausal temporal organization of the text. There are indications of broadening contextual
awareness, which is in line with trends occurring in linguistic analysis in general, but many helpful concepts from discourse analysis or Textlinguistics are not incorporated in
these publications.
3.4 The Analysis of
in the Textlinguistic Approach
3.4.1 Preliminary Comments
This section reviews grammars and publications that employ analytical principles and methods that are textlinguistic in nature. There may be considerable conceptual
overlap between certain descriptive grammars reviewed in the previous section and some publications in this section; the dates of publication show that there is definite
chronological overlap. The categorization of these grammars has been done on the basis of what are perceived to be the guiding principles that underlie the authors’ description of
34 biblical Hebrew. Certain essentially descriptive grammars may employ terminology used
in textlinguistic studies, just as a grammar that is fundamentally textlinguistic may have terms and descriptions that are, for all practical purposes, identical to those found in
descriptive texts. The difference—and this is one of the most crucial issues at stake in the present study of
—lies at the level of presuppositions and basic perceptions of language itself. This point will be argued in greater detail in Chapter 5, General
Theoretical Framework.
3.4.2 Schneider, Grammatik des biblischen Hebräisch, 1974
Schneider’s Grammatik des biblischen Hebräisch advanced the analysis of by implementing a textlinguistic perspective in the consideration of the variety of
syntactic environments in which it occurs. Referring to Schneider’s work, Talstra claims that
[t]his grammar is completely new indeed in its syntax because it aims at a description of biblical Hebrew not on the basis of sentences, but on the
basis of texts. Talstra 1978, 169
The consideration of the broader context is one of the hallmarks of a textlinguistic approach. The focus on text and context involves more than a description of occurrences;
it explores both form and function. Talstra insightfully comments on Schneider’s perspective, stating that the concern is not merely the grammatical description of a
particular linguistic item, but “the effect of its use in a particular text” Talstra 1978, 169.
35 Schneider discusses the close connection in narrative of “introductory”
with temporal indicators Schneider 1974, 252
2
and discusses the function of as a macro-
syntactic sign: “Macro-syntactic signs are words, particles, and expressions, in spoken language, which function to indicate the large divisions of texts” Schneider 1974, 261
[my translation].
3
As a “transition signal” Schneider 1974, 265 [my translation]
4
occurs, according to Schneider, at the “points of transition from the introduction to the main part or before main events, which are particularly highlighted as such” Schneider
1974, 265-66 [my translation].
5
As an indicator of tense, Schneider states that “occurs at the beginning of
narrative sections. It is not linked to what precedes it, but rather it marks the following text as narrative.” Schneider 1974, 265 [my translation].
6
Many of the issues discussed in later research are already found here in Schneider’s seminal contribution to the study
of biblical Hebrew. His grammar makes claims regarding the functions of that will
2
“In erzählendem Kontext steht fast immer nach einleitendem eine Zeitbestimmung”
Schneider 1974, 252.
3
“Makrosyntaktische Zeichen sind Wörter, Partikeln und Wendungen, die in der gesprochenen Sprache dazu dienen, die Großgliederung von Texten zu markieren” Schneider
1974, 261.
4
“Übergangssignal” Schneider 1974, 265.
5
“Als Übergangssignal steht an Gelenkstellen der Erzählung: beim Übergang der
Einleitung zum Hauptteil oder vor Hauptereignissen, die dadurch als solche besonders herausgehoben werden” Schneider 1974, 265-66.
6
“Als Tempuszeichen steht am Anfang von Erzählungen oder Erzähl-Abschnitten.
Es verknüpft nicht nach rückwärts, sondern signalisiert den folgenden Text als Erzählung” Schneider 1974, 265.
36 be evaluated in subsequent sections of the present study. However, as will be seen in the
continuing review of other publications, some of the claims made by other authors seem to state the exact opposite of what Schneider claimed.
3.4.3 Richter, Grundlagen einer althebräischen Grammatik, 1980
