Conference presentation for 2016 annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Antonio. (https://www.sbl-site.org). Authors: Janet Dyk (linguistic ideas) and Dirk Roorda (computational implementation). A verb organizes the elements in a sentence. Different patterns of constituents affect the meaning of a verb in a given context. The potential of a verb to combine with patterns of elements is known as its valence. A single set of questions, organized as a flow chart, selects the relevant building blocks within the context of a verb. The resulting pattern provides a particular significance for the verb in question. Because all contexts are submitted to the same flow chart, similarities and differences between verbs come to light. For example, verbs of movement in their causative formation manifest the same patterns as transitive verbs with an object that gets moved. We apply this approach to the whole Hebrew Bible, using the database of the Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and Computer (ETCBC), which contains the relevant linguistic annotations. This allows us to have a complete listing of all patterns for all verbs. It provides the basis for consistent proposals for the significance of specific patterns occurring with a particular verb. The valence results are made available in SHEBANQ, an online research tool based on the ETCBC database. It presents the basic data, text and linguistic features, together with annotations by researchers. The valence results consist of a set of algorithmically generated annotations which show up between the lines of the text. The algorithm itself and its documentation can be found at https://shebanq.ancient-data.org/tools?goto=valence. By using SHEBANQ we achieve several goals with respect to the scholarly workflow: (1) all our results are openly accessible online, and other researchers may comment on them; (2) all resources needed to reproduce this research are available online and can be downloaded (Open Access).

1. Valence Patterns and
Translation Proposals within
SHEBANQ
Janet Dyk
Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and Computer
& Dirk Roorda
Data Archiving and Networked Services

2. Examples from English
• “Elsie is going to the farm”

3. Examples from English
• “Elsie is going to the farm”
• “Harry is going to cook”

4. Examples from English
• “Elsie is going to the farm”
• “Harry is going to cook”
• “I’m going”

5. Examples from English
• “Elsie is going to the farm”
• “Harry is going to cook”
• “I’m going”
• “Elsie is going to town”

6. Examples from English
• “Elsie is going to the farm”
• “Harry is going to cook”
• “I’m going”
• “Elsie is going to town”
• “She is going on and on”

7. Two-fold Challenge
1. Determine what formal elements and which
lexical characteristics and semantic roles of the
elements occurring with a Hebrew verb affect its
meaning

8. Two-fold Challenge
1. Determine what formal elements and which
lexical characteristics and semantic roles of the
elements occurring with a Hebrew verb affect its
meaning.
2. In suggesting renderings, take the selection
restrictions of the target language into account,
in this case English.

9. Differences in Hebrew Patterns

10. Differences in Hebrew Patterns
1. ‫נתן‬ without accompanying elements:
Ps 37:21 ‫יק‬ ִּ֗‫ד‬ַ‫צ‬ְ֜‫ו‬‫ן‬ ֵֽ‫נֹות‬‫ו‬ ‫ֵ֥ן‬‫חֹונ‬
“the upright man has mercy, and gives” (BBE)

11. Differences in Hebrew Patterns
1. ‫נתן‬ without accompanying elements:
Ps 37:21 ‫יק‬ ִּ֗‫ד‬ַ‫צ‬ְ֜‫ו‬‫ן‬ ֵֽ‫נֹות‬‫ו‬ ‫ֵ֥ן‬‫חֹונ‬
“the upright man has mercy, and gives” (BBE)
2. ‫נתן‬ with a direct object but no further accompanying
elements:
Ex 5:18 ‫ֶן‬‫כ‬‫ת‬‫ו‬‫ּנּו‬ ֵֽ‫ת‬‫ת‬ ‫ִ֖ים‬‫נ‬‫ב‬‫ל‬
“you must still produce the full quota of bricks” (NLT)

12. Differences in Hebrew Patterns
3. ‫נתן‬ with direct object and indirect object:
Gen 12:7 ָ֔‫ֲך‬‫ע‬‫ר‬ַַ֙‫ז‬‫ל‬‫את‬ֹּ֑‫ז‬ַ‫ה‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ָָ֣‫א‬ָ‫ת־ה‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫ן‬ִ֖‫ת‬ ֶ‫א‬
“To your seed I will give this land”

13. Differences in Hebrew Patterns
3. ‫נתן‬ with direct object and indirect object:
Gen 12:7 ָ֔‫ֲך‬‫ע‬‫ר‬ַַ֙‫ז‬‫ל‬‫את‬ֹּ֑‫ז‬ַ‫ה‬ ‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ָָ֣‫א‬ָ‫ת־ה‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫ן‬ִ֖‫ת‬ ֶ‫א‬
“To your seed I will give this land”
4. ‫נתן‬ with direct object and locative:
Gen 9:13 ‫י‬ ִּ֕‫ת‬‫ש‬ַ‫ת־ק‬ ֶ‫א‬‫ֵ֥ן‬ָֹּ֑‫ָנ‬‫ע‬ֵֶֽ‫ב‬ ‫י‬‫ת‬ִַ֖‫ָת‬‫נ‬
“My bow have I placed in the clouds”

14. Differences in Hebrew Patterns
5. ‫נתן‬ with double object:
Ps 105:32 ‫ן‬ַָ֣‫ָת‬‫נ‬‫ד‬ ָֹּ֑‫ר‬ָ‫ב‬ ‫ָ֣ם‬ֶ‫יה‬‫מ‬‫ש‬‫ג‬
“He turned their rain into hail” (NIRV)

15. Differences in Hebrew Patterns
5. ‫נתן‬ with double object:
Ps 105:32 ‫ן‬ַָ֣‫ָת‬‫נ‬‫ד‬ ָֹּ֑‫ר‬ָ‫ב‬ ‫ָ֣ם‬ֶ‫יה‬‫מ‬‫ש‬‫ג‬
“He turned their rain into hail” (NIRV)
6. ‫נתן‬ with direct object and an infinitive clause whose subject
is the direct object: Ex 3:19
‫ָ֣י‬‫ֲנ‬‫א‬ַ‫ו‬‫ְך‬ ֹּ֑‫ֲל‬‫ה‬ַ‫ל‬ ‫ם‬‫י‬ ִַ֖‫ר‬‫צ‬‫מ‬ ‫ְֶך‬‫ל‬ ֶ‫מ‬ ‫ֶ֛ם‬ֶ‫כ‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫ן‬‫ת‬‫א־י‬ ֵֽ‫ל‬ ‫י‬ ִּ֠‫כ‬ ‫י‬‫ת‬‫ע‬ ַָ֔‫ָד‬‫י‬
“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go”
(NET)

16. Unified Approach

17. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?

18. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
a. If so, is there another direct object present?

19. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
a. If so, is there another direct object present?
b. If there is more than one direct object, which is the
principal object and which is secondary?

20. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
a. If so, is there another direct object present?
b. If there is more than one direct object, which is the
principal object and which is secondary?
c. Do the lexical characteristics of the object(s) play a
role in the meaning of the pattern?

21. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
2. Is there an indirect object present?

22. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
2. Is there an indirect object present?
a. If so, which preposition governs the indirect object?

23. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
2. Is there an indirect object present?
a. If so, which preposition governs the indirect object?
b.Do the lexical characteristics play a role in the
meaning of the pattern?

24. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
2. Is there an indirect object present?
3. Are there other complements present besides
direct or indirect objects?

25. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
2. Is there an indirect object present?
3. Are there other complements present besides
direct or indirect objects?
a. If so, which preposition governs this complement?

26. Unified Approach
1. Is there a direct object present?
2. Is there an indirect object present?
3. Are there other complements present besides
direct or indirect objects?
a. If so, which preposition governs this complement?
b.Do the lexical characteristics play a role in the
meaning of the pattern?

27. Flow Chart Template
asking the relevant questions in a hierarchically
ordered sequence

28. Verbal Root
Start here]
1 A Cmpl-DObj takes the form of verbal suffix, -phrase, or NP. 2 Referenced direct object is one referred to by the relative ( , , or -relativum).
3 Assumed direct object must be overtly present in the immediate context, though outside the current clause.
4 Refers to cases where introduces object from which a subset is taken, - as object marker, or other prepositions.
5 With multiple objects, Objc1 is determined as follows: sfx > -phr > NP > PP. When the phrases are of the same form, the degree of definiteness is determinate –
the most definite is Objc1. When the phrases are of the same form and definiteness, the order of elements is determinate – first occurring is Objc1. .
6This phrase is a not a locative (Cmpl-Loca), and not one affected (Cmpl-IObjc or Adju-Benf). 7 Determine whether lex. charac. or semantic role affects significance.
Direct
Object?1
Assumed
DObj?3
Cmpl
present?
Referenced
DObj?2
PP as
DObj?4 Cmpl-IObj? Cmpl-Loca?
Specific
significance with no
object and no
complement
No No No No
No No
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes
Yes Yes
Another
DObj?1
Assumed
DObj?3
Cmpl
present?
Referenced
DObj?2
PP as
DObjc?4 Cmpl-IObjc? Cmpl-Loca?
Specific
significance
with one direct object
No No No No
No No
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes
Yes Yes
Objc1: sfx / / NP
Objc2: +InfC
bjc1: sfx / / NP
bjc2: / NP
Objc1: sfx / / NP
Objc2: -phrase6
Objc1: sfx / / NP
Objc2: -phrase
make Objc1 to
become Objc2
make Objc1 to
be Objc2
make Objc1 to
be as Objc2
specific
meaning
Specific significance with a
double object pattern5
Specific significance with one object and
Cmpl-IObjc with specific prepositions
Specific significance with one object and
Cmpl-Loca with specific prepositions
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
Prep Prep Prep
specific
meaning
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
Locative Prep Prep
Specific significance with no object, but
with Cmpl-IObj using specific prepositions
Specific significance with no object, but
with Cmpl-Loca using specific prepositions
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
Prep Prep Prep
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
specific
meaning7
Locative Prep Prep
Establish which
direct object is
present in
context
Establish
whether
object results
in an
idiomatic
expression

29. Selection Restrictions in English

30. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”

31. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”
But we “make” concrete, physical objects

32. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”
But we “make” concrete, physical objects
and we “do” non-concrete “objects”

33. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”
But we “make” concrete, physical objects
and we “do” non-concrete “objects”
Further refinement:
– “do” with “sin”, and synonyms — “commit”

34. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”
But we “make” concrete, physical objects
and we “do” non-concrete “objects”
Further refinement:
– “do” with “sin”, and synonyms — “commit”
– “do” with “justice”, and synonyms — “execute”

35. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”
But we “make” concrete, physical objects
and we “do” non-concrete “objects”
Further refinement:
– “do” with “sin”, and synonyms — “commit”
– “do” with “justice”, and synonyms — “execute”
– “do” with “loving kindness”, and synonyms —
“perform, act with”

36. Selection Restrictions in English
‫עשה‬ generally rendered “do, make”
But we “make” concrete, physical objects
and we “do” non-concrete “objects”
Further refinement:
– “do” with “sin”, and synonyms — “commit”
– “do” with “justice”, and synonyms — “execute”
– “do” with “loving kindness”, and synonyms —
“perform, act with”
– “do” with “offering”— “offer, present”

37. Selection Restrictions in English
Body parts with ‫:נתן‬

38. Selection Restrictions in English
Body parts with ‫:נתן‬
Gen 38:28 ‫ֹּ֑ד‬ָ‫ן־י‬ ֶ‫ת‬‫ַי‬‫ו‬
“and one of the babies reached out his hand” (NLT)

39. Selection Restrictions in English
Body parts with ‫:נתן‬
Gen 38:28 ‫ֹּ֑ד‬ָ‫ן־י‬ ֶ‫ת‬‫ַי‬‫ו‬
“and one of the babies reached out his hand” (NLT)
Prov 1:20 ‫ֹות‬ ִּ֗‫ב‬‫ח‬‫ר‬ ְָ֜‫ב‬‫ן‬‫ת‬‫ת‬‫ּה‬ֵָֽ‫קֹול‬
“in the open places she [wisdom] raises her voice” (NAB)

40. Methodology

41. Methodology
1. Harvest verbs in their context from the
database.
pip3 install laf-fabric
docs
github
this
notebook

42. Methodology
1. Harvest verbs in their context from the database.
2. Correct parsing labels where necessary.

43. Methodology
1. Harvest verbs in their context from the database.
2. Correct parsing labels where necessary.
3. Enrich parsing labels with grammatical function, lexical
characteristics and semantic roles where applicable.

44. Methodology1. Harvest verbs in their context from the database.
2. Correct parsing labels where necessary.
3. Enrich parsing labels with grammatical function, lexical characteristics and semantic roles where applicable.
4. Apply the flow chart to arrive at a rendering of
the structure.
flowchart
notebook

45. Methodology
1. Harvest verbs in their context from the database.
2. Correct parsing labels where necessary.
3. Enrich parsing labels with grammatical function, lexical characteristics and semantic roles where applicable.
4. Apply the flow chart to arrive at a rendering of the structure.
5. Where needed refine the program and add
annotations

46. Results in SHEBANQ
hundreds
of pages of
valence
notes
valence
results

47. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬without any accompanying elements:
1 Kings 20:12
Benhadad, drinking in his tent, is suddenly
challenged by Ahab and has to get his army
together quickly. The single imperative is enough:
“prepare!” (KJV: “Set yourselves in array.”)

48. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬with a single object (material):
Gen 43:31
Joseph receives his brothers at his home and
commands his servants: “Prepare bread”, in other
words, “Make the meal ready.”

49. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬with a single object (immaterial):
Num 6:26
May God “institute” peace for you.

50. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬with a single object and locative:
1 Sam 19:5
Jonathan defends David to Saul, saying, “He put
his life in his hand”, and expression for, “he risked
his life”.

51. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬with double object:
Ps 40:5
The psalmist declares the man to be blessed who
“makes JHWH his trust”.

52. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬with a double object involving a ‫–ל‬phrase
as second element:
Ex 2:14
The Hebrew men, who were fighting together,
challenge Moses when he tried to intervene: “Who
made you to become a prince and a judge over
us?”

53. Results in SHEBANQ
• ‫שים‬with a double object involving a ‫–כ‬phrase as
second element:
Isa 14:17
The prophet speaks of those who make the world
as wilderness.

54. Conclusions

55. Conclusions
 a consistent treatment of verbal constructions

56. Conclusions
 a consistent treatment of verbal constructions
• a basis for comparison of behavior of verbs,
giving insight into similarities and differences of
classes of verbs

57. Conclusions
 a consistent treatment of verbal constructions
• a basis for comparison of behavior of verbs,
giving insight into similarities and differences of
classes of verbs
• suggestions for a consistent rendering of a verb
within its syntactic pattern

58. Conclusions
 a consistent treatment of verbal constructions
• a basis for comparison of behavior of verbs,
giving insight into similarities and differences of
classes of verbs
• suggestions for a consistent rendering of a verb
within its syntactic pattern
• annotations on idiomatic and idiosyncratic
behavior of certain verbs in particular contexts

59. Conclusions
 a consistent treatment of verbal constructions
• a basis for comparison of behavior of verbs, giving
insight into similarities and differences of classes of
verbs
• suggestions for a consistent rendering of a verb
within its syntactic pattern
• annotations on idiomatic and idiosyncratic behavior
of certain verbs in particular contexts
• more verbs yet to be included

60. Conclusions
 a consistent treatment of verbal constructions
• a basis for comparison of behavior of verbs, giving insight into
similarities and differences of classes of verbs
• suggestions for a consistent rendering of a verb within its syntactic
pattern
• annotations on idiomatic and idiosyncratic behavior of certain verbs in
particular contexts
• more verbs yet to be included
thank you
Janet Dyk
shebanq@ancient-data.org
Dirk Roorda