Order of Primary Verbs And Their Dependent Infinitives

[Paul Younan]

Shlama Akhay,

First a brief background on the terms I'm going to use in this example for those who may be unfamiliar with them.

An Infinitive verb is a state where the verb is incomplete or yet to occur.

Examples of usage in English:

Verbal Stem -> Infinitive
Write -> To Write
Leave -> To Leave
Learn -> To Learn
Fish-> To Fish

In English, the Infinitive is usually formed by adding "To" in front of the normal state of the verb.

Examples in English:

He wants to write a book.
He ordered his troops to quickly leave the area.
I like to, on a sunny day, fish at my local river.
To publish a book you must first pay a printer.

Notice that in the above examples, English displays a remarkable tolerance for the ordering of the Primary verbs and their subordinate Infinitives. Specifically, the Infinitive may immediately follow the Primary verb upon which it depends, or there may be word(s) or a phrase that separates them, or the Primary verb may even follow the Infinitive (as in the last example.)

A characteristic feature of Aramaic grammar is that an Infinitive verb stands immediately after the Primary verb upon which it depends. Unlike English grammar, in Aramaic grammar this is a very rigid rule.

Before I proceed with examples and why this relates to Aramaic primacy, I want to know if anyone has any questions?

+Shamasha

[Paul Younan]

Shlama Akhay,

Without any questions, I will proceed. Here are some examples from the Aramaic NT which illustrate the following:

A characteristic feature of Aramaic grammar is that an Infinitive verb stands immediately after the Primary verb upon which it depends. Unlike English grammar, in Aramaic grammar this is a very rigid rule.

Please note the order of the Primary and subordinate Infinitive verbs in the Aramaic of Mark 10:26:



Is able -> to gain life (to live/be saved). The subordinate Infinitive immediately follows the Primary verb upon which it depends.

Please note the order of the Primary and subordinate Infinitive verbs in the Aramaic of Matthew 27:42:



Not Is able -> to save. The subordinate Infinitive immediately follows the Primary verb upon which it depends.

The Aramaic of Matthew 14:30:



The Aramaic of Matthew 16:22 and 16:24:



Note the two examples here. In verse 22, "began -> to rebuke" and in verse 24 "wishes -> to follow"

The Aramaic of Matthew 26:37:



This is an interesting example because two dependent Infinitives ("to sorrow" and "to weary") follow the Primary verb.

In my next post, I will demonstrate from the GNT the example I have been building up toward.

+Shamasha

[gregoryfl]

This post is 6 years old. I was looking for the next part, is there one? Just curious if it is posted somewhere else that I can't find yet.

In my next post, I will demonstrate from the GNT the example I have been building up toward.

Ronen

[gregoryfl]

I will guess that such does not exist.