The movement from Qal to Piccel in Hebrew and the disappearance of the Qal internal passive

• Published in: Hebrew studies Vol. XLII; pp. 243 - 256
• Main Author: Fassberg, Steven E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2001
• Subjects: Hebrew; Language
• ISSN: 0146-4094

The assumed original intensification/plurality of the D stem (with 'doubled' middle radical = Piccel in Hebrew) vis-à-vis the G stem ('ground' form = Qal) is not maintained in all stages of Semitic languages. While the intensification/plurality of the Piccel is attested in classical biblical Hebrew, there is evidence in extra-biblical sources from the Second Temple period on of a shift of Qal verbs to Piccel, where they no longer exhibit intensive/plural meaning. Many scholars, however, are unaware of this phenomenon since it has been discussed almost exlusively in works written in modern Hebrew. The shift from Qal to Piccel can be seen in Qumran Hebrew, the Hebrew of Ben-Sira, Samaritan Hebrew, Tannaitic Hebrew, and Amoraic Hebrew. It is suggested that the disappearance of the Qal internal passive and its replacement by Puccal is related to the movement of verbs from Qal to Piccel. Reprinted by National Association of Professors of Hebrew