LECTURE XIV.

ON THE SYNTAX.

212. IN endeavouring to investigate the principles of the Hebrew Syntax, we shall first consider the nature and construction of propositions; secondly, those of their several parts; and, lastly, shew how these have been combined, according to the Authors of the accents.

2. In the first place, then, every proposition will be either general or particular. A general proposition is that which contains a complete sentence expressive of some general truth: as, "Men die." "Men die." A particular, or singular, proposition (as it is sometimes called), expresses only that which relates to particular individuals: as, "The men die." Hence,

3. When any general proposition is enounced in Hebrew, the word or words used for the purpose of enouncing the subject will, generally, be indefinite; i. e. will not have the definite article, or be otherwise limited; while that which is intended to be the most impressive, will stand first in the order; e. g. nyit

the law of the Lord is תּוֹרַת יְהוָה תְּמִימָה In such expressions as *

per

fect, &c. Ps. xix. 8, &c. although the truth is general, the proposition is not because it relates to one particular law, not to any general one.

so;

The subject and predicate are, according to the Grammarians of Arabia, two words so placed, that they may be independent of each other in a grammatical or formal point of view, their relation being purely logical. The

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المبتدا والخبر هما اسمان author of the Hidayat oon Nahee . ۳۴) says المبتدا العوامل اللفظية احدهما مسند اليه ويسمي مجردان من العوامل

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W

99

والثاني مسند به ويسمي الخبر نحو زيد قائم والعامل فيها معنوي

- (any one)* SOWING iniquity, reaps vanity, Prov. xxii. 8; yy 'py Dye (as) DEEP WATERS (is)

counsel in the heart of man, Ib. xx. 5.

4. And, on the contrary, when any particular proposition is to be enounced, the word or words expressive of its subject must be made definite: as, NY (as

:

to) THE SUN, IT HAD ARISEN, Gen. xix. 23; in! Tipe THE PRECEPTS OF JEHOVAH (are) right, Ps. xix. 9. This holds good whether the proposition be affirmative or negative.

5. Propositions will also be either Incomplex, or Complex; Simple, or Compound.

6. Incomplex propositions are those which contain no qualifying, or otherwise modifying, words in connection with either the subject or predicate. Complex propositions are those which have such words. Of the first, a house is built, Prov. xxiv. 3, is an ex

وهو الابتداء

"The subject and predicate are two words construed independently of any GRAMMATICAL government. The first is that of which something is predicated, and is called or, the beginning: the second is that by which this predication is made, and is termed the enouncer: as, ZAID (is) STANDING. The government of them is regulated by the sense (or, is logical), that is, by the beginning," or subject matter of the discourse.

This conjunction of words is termed by them, and is thus described

ما تضمن كلمتين بالاسناد ولا يتأتي ذلك الا في : by Ibn ul Hajib اسمين او في فعل واسم

"It is that which comprehends two words in connection with each other, which cannot happen except in the concurrence of two nouns, or of a verb and noun." The word constituting the subject (s) is, according to El Hazeri, placed first, on account of the importance which it holds in the estimation of the speaker or writer." See Commentary on the Agrumia by Schnabell, Amsterdam, 1755, pp. F. 11.

* The capitals are intended to point out the words upon which the rule immediately bears.

ample. Of the second, men in, or by, wisdom is a house built, Ib.

7. Simple propositions are those which have no supplementary or subordinate parts. Compound propositions are those which have such parts. Example of the first, a naɔņa in wisdom is a house built:

and his princes, and the whole congregation, took counsel, 2 Chron. xxx. 2. In this case the subject only is compound: others occur in which the predicate is also compound.

8. We now proceed to consider the relation of the subject with the predicate, which is indeed necessary to point out the construction of simple and incomplex propositions. We shall next shew how the complex and compound parts of propositions are constructed, i. e. on what principles their several parts are connected together.

On the Predicate of Propositions.

213. The predicate of any proposition may consist of nouns attributive or substantive (if predicables), or of verbs or pronouns, as in other languages.

2. Every proposition, whether general or particular, will, unless something particular require the contrary, have its predicate indefinite. (Verbs, of course, when in the predicate, do not come under this rule, because it cannot be said of them, that they are either definite or indefinite): e. g. nait ngay nņa whore (is) a deep ditch, Prov. xxiii. 27.

3. Here, being indefinite, the proposition will be general: and, as the rule requires the predicate also to be indefinite, this becomes a case in which some ambiguity might arise, as to which of the substantives is the subject of the proposition. The sense requires here that the last word be the subject, although Пņa a ditch precedes: the sentence may be thus rendered, (as) a deep ditch (is) a whore.