Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2007. / Title from title screen (viewed 28 March 2008). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Dept. of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies, Faculty of Arts. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study seeks to identify and classify idioms in the Hebrew Bible. Based on a survey of literature on idioms in general, and in Biblical Hebrew in particular, the necessary conditions for idiomaticity are identified as (1) multi-word character, (2) semantic noncompositionality, (3) unit status, (4) conventionalisation, (5) a verbal nucleus, and (6) a content message. Restricted variability and uniqueness may also be indicative of idiomaticity, although these are not regarded as necessary conditions. Accordingly, idiom is defined as a conventionalised multi-word symbolic unit with a verbal nucleus and a content message, whose global meaning is a semantic extension of the combined meanings of its constituent elements. These criteria were applied to 1 and 2 Samuel, and 104 idioms were identified. The results suggest that the proposed definition is an effective aid to identifying idioms, with certain caveats. In line with Granger and Paquot’s phraseological classification, the multi-word character of idioms is interpreted to imply a verb plus at least one more semantic (as opposed to grammatical) element. Semantic compositionality is shown to be a complex concept that should be understood as the overall meaning of an expression being an extension of the combined meanings of its individual lexical constituents. Conventionalisation and unit status prove to be virtually impossible to determine with certainty for expressions in the Hebrew Bible. Researchers should also be aware that there is an inevitable degree of subjectivity involved in the application and interpretation of the idiom characteristics proposed in this study. A preliminary semantic classification of the idioms found in 1 and 2 Samuel is proposed, based on the lexicographical system developed by De Blois (2000) for the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew. The results of this study suggest that, with some improvements and adjustments, De Blois’s framework is suitable for classifying and representing Biblical Hebrew idioms. The greatest obstacle in using this system is shown to be the counterintuitive names of a number of categories. A complete alphabetical list of idioms from 1 and 2 Samuel is provided in Appendix A, together with the relevant semantic information for each. A classification of these idioms according to lexical semantic domains is presented and discussed in Chapter 5, while alternative ways of arranging them (viz. by contextual semantic domains, underlying conceptual metaphors, and terms for body parts) are provided in Appendices B to D. This study demonstrates that idioms are semantically motivated (by conceptual metaphor, metonymy, symbolic acts, etc.) although their meaning is semantically noncompositional. It also indicates the need for a more systematic treatment of idioms in Biblical Hebrew lexicons. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie poog om idiome in die Hebreeuse Bybel te identifiseer en te klassifiseer. Die volgende noodsaaklike voorwaardes vir idiomatisiteit is geïdentifiseer op grond van ’n oorsig van die literatuur oor idiome in die algemeen en in Bybelse Hebreeus in die besonder: (1) meerwoordigheid, (2) semantiese nie-komposisionaliteit, (3) eenheidstatus, (4) konvensionalisering, (5) ’n werkwoordelike kern en (6) ’n inhoudelike boodskap. Beperkte veranderbaarheid en uniekheid kan ook dui op idiomatisiteit, maar dit word nie as noodsaaklike voorwaardes beskou nie. Gevolglik word idioom gedefinieer as ’n gekonvensionaliseerde, meerwoordige simboliese eenheid met ’n werkwoordelike kern, waarvan die geheelbetekenis ’n semantiese uitbreiding is van die gekombineerde betekenisse van die elemente waaruit dit saamgestel is. Die bogenoemde kriteria is in 1 en 2 Samuel toegepas, en daar is 104 idiome geïdentifiseer. Die resultate dui daarop dat die voorgestelde definisie van idiomatisiteit, met inagneming van sekere voorbehoude, ’n effektiewe hulpmiddel vir die indentifisering van idiome is. In lyn met Granger en Paquot se fraseologiese klassifikasie word daar van die veronderstelling uitgegaan dat die meerwoordigheid van idiome ’n werkwoord plus minstens een ander semantiese (teenoor grammatikale) komponent behels. Daar word aangetoon dat semantiese komposisionaliteit ’n komplekse begrip is en dat dit verstaan moet word as ’n uitbreiding van die kombinasie van die betekenisse van die afsonderlike leksikale elemente waaruit ’n uitdrukking saamgestel is, om ’n geheelbetekenis te vorm. Om die konvensionalisering en eenheidstatus van uitdrukkings in die Hebreeuse Bybel met sekerheid vas te stel, blyk feitlik onmoontlik te wees. Navorsers moet ook daarvan bewus wees dat daar ’n onvermydelike mate van subjektiwiteit betrokke is by die toepassing en verstaan van die idioomkenmerke wat in die huidige studie voorgestel word. ’n Voorlopige semantiese klassifikasie van die idiome wat in 1 en 2 Samuel geïdentifiseer is, word voorgestel, gebaseer op die leksikografiese sisteem wat deur De Blois (2000) vir die Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew ontwikkel is. Die resultate van hierdie studie doen aan die hand dat De Blois se raamwerk, met ’n paar veranderinge en verbeteringe, geskik is vir die klassifisering en uiteensetting van idiome in Bybelse Hebreeus. Daar word aangetoon dat die grootste hindernis om die genoemde sisteem te gebruik, die teen-intuïtiewe benaminge van ’n aantal kategorieë is. ’n Volledige alfabetiese lys van die idiome uit 1 en 2 Samuel, met toepaslike semantiese inligting by elk, word in Bylae A aangebied. ’n Klassifikasie van hierdie idiome volgens leksikale semantiese domeine word in Hoofstuk 5 voorgehou en bespreek, terwyl alternatiewe indelings (nl. volgens kontekstuele semantiese domeine, onderliggende konsepsuele metafore en terme vir liggaamsdele) in Bylaes B tot D aangebied word. Hierdie studie toon aan dat idiome semanties gemotiveer word (deur konsepsuele metafore, metonimie, simboliese handelinge ens.), alhoewel hulle betekenis niekomposisioneel is. Die behoefte aan ’n meer sistematiese bewerking van idiome in Bybelse Hebreeuse leksikons word ook uitgewys.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 1991. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the most vexing questions in the exegetical research on the Psalms has been the establishing of the identity of the suppliant who refers to himself as the cani. Many scholars have endeavoured to study the meaning and significance of this word, but it is still not satisfactorily resolved. The weakness of these studies can be traced back to two factors: (1) an exaggerated over-confidence in the etymological method of analysis, and (2) the implementation of inadequate and incomplete semantic methods. This investigation starts out with the hypothesis that the meaning of cani must be determined in terms of both its macro and micro leve~. Thus, the meaning of this designation will be established synchronically, as well as in terms of an associative field. In this way the semantic field of cani can be .demarcated in light of its immediate lexical, as well as its wider associative field. A close reading of the Psalms in which cani appears, reveals that a triangular relationship is depicted between certain actants. The drama tis personae occupying the following roles in this triangle are: (1) Yahweh asjudge and saviour, (2) the cani as suppliant and victim, and (3) .the antagonist as oppressor and blasphemer. In order to establish the identity of the cani it was necessary to investigate its synonyms and antonyms within this complex triangular structure. Within such a semantic framework it has been determined that the stereotype translation equivalent "poor" is both inadequate and misleading. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die mees kwellende vrae in die moderne Psalmeksegese is die raaisel aangaande die identiteit van die cani. Baie geleerdes het gepoog om die betekenis van hierdie woord te bepaal, maar tot nou toe is die prableem nog nie bevredigend opgelos nie as gevolg van: (1) te swaar klem wat op die etimologie van die woord geplaas is, of (2) onvoldoende semantiese metodes wat gebruik is in die ondersoek van hierdie term. Hierdie studie gaan uit van die hipotese dat die betekenis van cani op beide makro- en mikrovlak vasgestel moet word. Die betekenis moet sinkronies sowel as in terme van 'n assosiatiewe veld bepaal word. Op hierdie wyse kan die semantiese veld afgebaken word op grand van die onmiddellike leksikale sowel as die wyere assosiatiewe veld. Verder is daar ook vasgestel dat in die Psalms waarin cani voorkom, daar gewoonlik sprake is van 'n driehoeksverhouding. Die dramatis personae is: (1) Jahwe as rigter en redder, (2) die cani as aangeklaagde/smekeling en slagoffer en (3) die antagonis as onderdrukker en aanklaerllasteraar. Om die identiteit van die cani vas te stel, was dit nodig om die sinonieme sowel as die antonieme van hierdie term binne so 'n driehoekige struktuur te ondersoek. Binne so 'n semantiese raamwerk is vasgestel dat die stereotipe vertalingsekwivalent "arm" beide onvoldoende en misleidend is.