The use of insubordinate infinitive and infinitive construct in a non-subject-oriented language like Hebrew (Biblical and Modern Hebrew)

In this presentation, I will introduce the functional typology of both "infinitive construct" widespread in Biblical Hebrew and the "insubordinate infinitive." in Modern Hebrew, which to these days, in spite of being exposed to a strong influence of European languages, is still characterized as a non-subject oriented language. For example, in an expression like as ma la'asot 'what can I do' (lit. what to do). An insubordinate inf. is a linguistic term for an inf. verb phrase that functions independently as a main clause instead of being dependent on a main verb. The "infinitive construct", widely used in Biblical Hebrew, differs from nominal forms in that like the verb it can display aspectual and modal distinctions, as in the following "tautological infinitive" with an absolute infinitive form (i.e., not introduced by preposition le- 'to' or other prepositions): mōṯ tāmūṯ 'you will surely die' (lit. to die you will die). Similarly in Modern Hebrew lehazmin tazmin axšav 'you'll order now' (lit. to order you will order now) ,that is used as a strengthening infinitive construction. In such constructions the verb is made an 'isolated subject' by its infinitive being placed in front-extraposition.

Professor Rivka Halevy, PhD, is Professor Emerita of Hebrew Language at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research is devoted primarily to Modern Hebrew linguistics, with particular emphasis on syntax, semantics, pragmatics, linguistic typology, grammaticalization, construction grammar, discourse, and the relationship between syntax and the lexicon.

Her scholarship examines grammatical structures in Modern Hebrew from functional, usage-based, typological, and cross-linguistic perspectives. Major areas of her research include existential and possessive constructions, dative-experiencer constructions, impersonal and subjectless structures, transitivity and valence, reciprocal and reflexive constructions, grammaticalization, lexical semantics, phraseology, and language contact.

A significant strand of her recent work challenges analyses of Hebrew based primarily on grammatical categories derived from Indo-European languages. Her research characterizes Modern Hebrew as a language in which existential, possessive, experiencer, and other constructions may operate without the canonical subject structures characteristic of many European languages. She has also investigated historical continuity between Biblical and Modern Hebrew and the role of contact with Yiddish and Slavic languages in the development of particular constructions in spoken Modern Hebrew.

Professor Halevy's recent research examines existential, possessive, and dative-experiencer constructions in Modern Hebrew from cross-linguistic and typological perspectives. Her work explores the extent to which these constructions resist analyses based on the canonical subject-oriented grammatical models characteristic of many Indo-European languages.

Her research also addresses historical continuity between Biblical and Modern Hebrew, including the development of dative-experiencer constructions and the influence of language contact with Yiddish and Slavic languages on aspects of spoken Modern Hebrew.