Stem Formation¶
Summary¶
The stem formation of a verb indicates both the kind of verbal action (simple, stative, causative, etc.) and the voice (active, passive, reflexive, etc.) of the verb.
Article¶
In Biblical Aramaic, all verbs have both a stem formation (Qal, Niphal, Piel, etc.) and a conjugation (Perfect, Imperfect, Imperative, etc.). These work together like two “layers”, and each layer supplies different information about the verb. In Biblical Aramaic, there are seven major stem formations and several rare ones.
Form¶
This is a brief overview on how to quickly recognize the simplest forms of each stem:
Qal stem¶
The simplest form of the verb, usually with “a” vowels (qamets or patah).
Niphal stem¶
Adds נִ (nun with hireq) to the beginning of the verb. If the form also adds a prefix (like in the prefix conjugation), the נ disappears and causes the 1st radical to double (with a daghesh).
Hiphil stem¶
Often has הִ (he with hireq) before the verb, or a patah under the letter that the form adds before the root.
Hophal stem¶
Also adds a ה before the verb, but with a qamets hatuf (or sometimes qibbuts) vowel.
Piel stem¶
Doubles the 2nd radical of the verb with a daghesh, and usually has a shewa or a hireq under the 1st radical.
Pual stem¶
Also doubles the 2nd radical but usually has a qibbuts under the 1st radical.
Hithpael stem¶
Adds הִתְ (he with hireq and taw with shewa) before the verb, and puts a qamets or patah under the 1st radical.
Function¶
The following table is a brief overview of the most common stems and their most common functions.
Active Voice |
Passive Voice |
Reflexive Voice |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Simple Action |
Pe’al stem |
Pe’il stem |
Hithpe’el stem |
Resultative Action |
Pa’el stem |
Pu’al stem |
Hithpa’al stem |
Causative Action |
Haphel stem |
Hophal stem |
The stem formation of a verb performs the following functions:
Expresses the kind of verbal action¶
Simple action¶
Simple action refers to a typical dynamic verb; that is, the verb describes an action being performed by the subject of the verb.
Stative action¶
Stative action refers to a typical stative verb; that is, the verb describes the subject of the verb as being in a certain state/condition.
Causative action¶
Causative action means that the subject of the verb is causing the object of the verb either to perform the verbal action (with dynamic verbs) or to be in the state described by the verb (with stative verbs). In English, causative action is expressed using the main verb “to cause” paired with the infinitive of the verbal action in view. In Biblical Aramaic, the causative nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation itself with no additional verbal element.
Resultative action¶
Resultative action means that the primary focus of the verb is on the result of the verbal action.
Intensive action¶
Intensive action means that the verbal action is strengthened in some way.
Expresses the voice of the verb¶
Active voice¶
Active voice means that the subject of the verb is performing the verbal action. Most verbs are in the active voice.
Passive voice¶
Passive voice means that the subject of the verb is receiving the verbal action rather than performing the verbal action. In English, passive voice is expressed using the helping verb “to be.” In Biblical Aramaic, the passive nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any helping verbs.
Reflexive voice¶
Reflexive voice means that the subject of the verb is both performing and receiving the verbal action. In English, reflexive voice is expressed using a reflexive pronoun as the object of the verb, “I tell myself”. In Biblical Aramaic, the reflexive nature of the verbal action is expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any additional words.
Middle voice¶
Middle voice means that the subject receives the action but also is (partially) involved in performing the action. Middle voice stands somewhere between passive voice and reflexive voice.
Reciprocal voice¶
Reciprocal voice means that multiple subjects are in view who are both performing the verbal action for another and receiving the verbal action from another. In English, reciprocal voice is expressed using the phrase “each other” as the object of the verb, “They tell each other.” In Biblical Aramaic, the reciprocal nature of the action is expressed by the stem formation of the verb itself without any additional words.
Reciprocal voice must be distinguished from reflexive voice. The phrase “They tell themselves” is reflexive: the subject “they” is a unified group and the action could be expressed reflexively for each individual as “he tells himself, and he tells himself, and she tells herself, etc.” The phrase “They tell each other” is reciprocal: each member of the group is telling something to another member of the group, and each member of the group is being told something by another member of the group.
Rare stem formations¶
The following stem formations occur only rarely in Biblical Aramaic: