Why did the future form of the verb displace the imperative form in the informal register of Modern Hebrew?

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Abstract

This paper addresses a phenomenon in colloquial Modern Hebrew: the use of the future form of the verb rather than the imperative form to convey a command. In Biblical Hebrew both forms are used to convey commands, but in Modern Hebrew the use of the future form of the verb to express commands is confined to the informal register. The distribution of the forms in Biblical Hebrew and in Modern Hebrew is shown to be dramatically different. This suggests that the phenomenon in Modern Hebrew does not have its roots in Biblical Hebrew. Further historical survey indicates that it is a relatively new development. From this historical survey I conclude that the use of the future to express a command in Modern Hebrew has its roots in Rabbinic Hebrew of the 18th and 19th centuries and that the underlying factors which brought this situation about are a process of what is sometimes called ‘insubordination’ and system simplification.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationLanguage Contact, Continuity and Change in the Genesis of Modern Hebrew
EditorsEdit Doron, Malka Rappaport Hovav, Yael Reshef, Moshe Taube
Place of PublicationAmsterdam ; Philadelphia
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company
Pages117-142
Number of pages26
ISBN (Print)9789027203274
StatePublished - 2019

Publication series

NameLinguistik aktuell
Number256

RAMBI Publications

  • rambi
  • Hebrew language -- History
  • Hebrew language -- Tense
  • Hebrew language, Modern -- Spoken Hebrew -- Imperative
  • Hebrew language, Modern -- Verb

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