A Question for the Hebrew Grammar and English Grammar Overlap

[gnomi]

Which is, I realize, a small group. But I've been trying and trying and can't come up with the answer, so I turn to you:

What is the English grammar term (if there is one) that is the equivalent of smichut?

Comments

[introverte.livejournal.com]

I think of it as a contraction, but that's not precisely right.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know there has to be a similar concept in English ("appositive" or "apposition" (as 530nm330hz says) is close).

The other question is whether most people know what an appositive is. :-)

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

apposition

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I thought about "appositive," but it's not sitting 100% comfortably with me.

It might be the closest I get, though.

Thanks!

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

The wikipedia article I linked to above suggests the "appositive genitive" for smichut.

I've heard smichut referred to as the "construct form", but I think that specifically refers to the way the first noun gets modified, not to the combination of the two nouns. And I don't think there's an equivalent to the "construct form" in English.

That is, we have phrases like "kitchen sink", which is a restricted appositive, but we don't modify either word in that phrase.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

That's where my problem comes in. I was looking for a way to explain the difference between "she'eila" and "she'eilat."

As for restricted appositive, there's always "dwarf planet." :-)

[sethg]

I think in English "noun noun" constructs, the first noun is modified by stressing it. Compare "CHURCH mouse" with "white MOUSE" or "SCHOOL bus" with "m.b.t.a. BUS". (I'm not sure this is true of all appositives--it doesn't work with "kitchen SINK"--but I think the English construct state is a specific subclass of appositive.)

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

This may be a question for my Jewish Linguist friend, thnidu, whom you may know from Arisia.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I know thnidu. But I don't know if he's sufficiently versed in the technicalities of Hebrew grammar to know what I'm talking about.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

Small world, huh? :)

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I've known him for years (and we've known his daughter, as well).

[madfilkentist]

That was going to be my suggestion too.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Rabbinate... oh wait, that's smicha...

[batyatoon]

Yeah, that's where I went too.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

:-)

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Hmm. What about "compound noun"?

[tapuz.livejournal.com]

In Biblical Hebrew for Theology School classes, I believe it is referred to as "construct" -- which makes for some very confusing sentences!!!

[lomedet.livejournal.com]

Noun construct or construct form.