Different Hebrew search options explained?
Hi all,
I've been using Accordance now for about 7 years, and I teach biblical Hebrew with and without using software.
I still don't fully understand the distinctions among the various types of Hebrew searches when pulling up the ‘Search for’ by right/context-clicking. The options that come up are: Lexeme, Inflected, Root, Tag, Letters. I *think* I understand most of them, but the difference between Inflected and Tag eludes me.
See if I'm thinking correctly about the others:
- Lexeme: It finds all forms of the same lexeme. So, for a particular root, it might find the occurrences of the noun (or verb or whatever you selected) from that root. Basically, anything that has its own entry in the lexicon.
- Root: finds all occurrences of any form of the tri-consonantal root of the word selected (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.).
- Letters: basically a search string on the exact marks: consonants and vowels
What I think Inflected and Tag are doing is finding words that have the same morphological tagging as the selected word, but I suspect there must be some difference.
Thanks in advance.
-Matt
P.S. I remember having quite a lengthy conversation with Dr. J at SBL years ago where he explained them, but I guess it didn't stick.
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Basic Hebrew Searches (Lighting the Lamp Video Podcast #147) AUGUST 23, 2016 https://www.accordancebible.com/basic-hebrew-searches/
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Thanks, Brian. However, the clarification I'm asking for is with regard to the options that appear in the context menu that appears when right/2-finger clicking on a word or phrase that has been selected. There, it appears that the Tag search operates differently, as it seems to combine the Tag and Lexeme searches in the table you posted. Also, that context menu doesn't contain the Word (Literal) or Exact options, but it does include Letters.
Maybe I'm wrong, but my impression is that the Hebrew searching has changed in the almost 10 years since that video was posted.
I much prefer searching from the context menu when I can, since it's much quicker compared to remembering which symbols to type and making sure to get the syntax and word spelling correct.
-Matt
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Okay, if I am understanding you correctly, you are referring to the Shortcut menu, which is also sometimes referred to as "contextual/Context" menu. Below is a picture of what I think you are referring to. But, please correct me if I have misunderstood you.
Matt Thomas “Also, that context menu doesn't contain the Word (Literal) or Exact options, but it does include Letters.”
First let me clarify that the 'Letters' search in the menu above is the same as a Literal search the only difference is the name = “Literal searches in Hebrew (also called "Letters" searches) allow for direct entry of text from the Hebrew Bible without knowing the lemma (lexical form) or having to distinguish the prefixes and suffixes of words.”
Second, as Lexeme, Inflected, Root, and Tag in the Shortcut menu in the picture above basically mean the same things as they they did in Dr. J's 2016 video . Exact searches are still possible but not from the shortcut menu in the picture.
Third(a), I am sorry but I am not sure what is meant by “Tag search operates differently, as it seems to combine the Tag and Lexeme”
For example when I search on וַתֹּ֖אמֶר Gen 39:7
אמר lexeme gives me 5458 hits or 3042 hits for וְ =אמר־1
וַתֹּ֖אמֶר Tag returns 980 hits for [Verb qal wawConsecutive third masculine singular] [Particle conjunction]
(CORRECTION: masculine is incorrect it should be feminine as Lorinda Hoover points out in the post following this one. My mistake/typo)
Thrid (b) Ah, maybe the following is what is you ment and if so I understand now. You are right that this search does not happen when you use the context menu:
[Particle conjunction] [Verb qal wawConsecutive third feminine singular]@אמר returns 194 hits
Again, I maybe misunderstanding what you are trying to convey so please do correct my misunderstanding if so.Regards,
Brian
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I get the similar results as Brian Mitchel, although וַתֹּ֖אמֶר in Genesis 39:7 is tagged as (difference in bold)
[Particle conjunction] [Verb qal wawConsecutive third feminine singular]
The numbers of my result are also different: A total of 686 verses. Choosing Analytics>Analysis shows 156 different forms:
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Lorinda Hoover , @Lorinda Hoover , thank you so much for pointing out the error in the parsing. The error was due to my mistyping the information and not putting it in any database! I have edited my post.
The corrected post will have the following:
וַתֹּ֖אמֶר Tag returns 980 hits for [Verb qal wawConsecutive third masculine singular] [Particle conjunction]
[Particle conjunction] [Verb qal wawConsecutive third feminine singular]@אמר returns 194 hits
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Hello Matt Thomas ,
Here, is one more try at answering your question:
(1) LEXEME "The dictionary form of the verb, noun, etc. Searches for all forms (conjugations, declensions, etc.) derived from it." (from the video)
(2) INFLECTED “When you perform a search using an inflected form, only occurrences of that specific inflected form are found, that is, the exact same letters as appear in the search argument.” (from Accordance Help files)
(3)ROOTS “When you perform a search for the root form, all occurrences of words based on the root are found.” (from Accordance Help files)
(4) TAG In the right click contextual/popup menu the Tag searches only for grammatical Tags. So, you are correct that in example the tagged search combined morphology.
(The following is from Accordance Help files=) “You can use grammatical tag information as either a stand-alone part of an argument, or as a further constraint to modify an expression such as a lemma Closed or inflected form Closed.
The tag constraints must be surrounded by brackets [ ] and start with a part of speech (or ANY). Enter only enough letters to uniquely identify that detail within that part of speech.
When grammatical tag information is specified as a stand-alone argument, the search finds any words that match the stated criteria, regardless of their lexical formClosed. For example [VERB aorist] finds all the aorist verbs.
When grammatical tag information modifies an expression, an "at" symbol (@ Shift-2) must link the expression and the tag information. Thus, the argument αγαπαω@[VERB present infinitive]finds all present infinitive occurrences of agapaw (love).
The @ symbol links together any combination of tag information, inflected, lexical or rootClosed forms, and some commands, so the linked information all applies to the same word.”
(5) LETTERS “Letters searches look for the letters and words exactly as entered. It does not find inflected forms, and it treats prefixes and suffixes as part of the word if selected.” (from Accordance Help files)
Matt Thomas said "See if I'm thinking correctly about the others:
- Lexeme: It finds all forms of the same lexeme. So, for a particular root, it might find the occurrences of the noun (or verb or whatever you selected) from that root. Basically, anything that has its own entry in the lexicon.
- Root: finds all occurrences of any form of the tri-consonantal root of the word selected (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.).
- Letters: basically a search string on the exact marks: consonants and vowels"
Matt Thomas basically, your understanding is correct! However, sometimes a letters search does not match the vowel see the example below where I ran a Letters search on וִיהִ֣י but it picked up וַֽיְהִי
I hope this answers your question and sorry for the long winded responses before.Regards,
Brian
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