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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/state_absolute.rst
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.. _state_absolute:
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State Absolute
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==============
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Summary
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-------
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The absolute state is the standard form of a word (noun, adjective, participle, or infinitive) in contrast to a modified form
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called the construct state. A word in the absolute state can take a prefix but not a suffix.
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Article
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-------
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:ref:`Nouns<noun>`, :ref:`adjectives<adjective>`, :ref:`participles<participle_active>` and
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:ref:`infinitives<infinitive_absolute>` can appear in either the absolute state or the :ref:`construct state<state_construct>`.
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The absolute state is the standard form and consists of a longer ending as opposed to the shorter construct ending. The most fundamental
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difference between the two forms is that the construct form can take an attached :ref:`suffix<suffix>`, but the absolute form
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cannot. Nouns, adjectives and participles can appear in either the absolute or the construct state for both
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:ref:`masculine<gender_masculine>` and :ref:`feminine<gender_feminine>` terms in both singular and plural forms. Because
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infinitives do not change form for either gender or number, there isusually only one
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:ref:`infinitive construct<infinitive_construct>` form and one :ref:`infinitive absolute<infinitive_absolute>`
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form of a verb in Biblical Hebrew.
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.. note:: Many masculine singular nouns appear exactly alike in both the absolute state and the construct state.
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Form
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----
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Paradigm
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~~~~~~~~
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.. csv-table:: Absolute State Paradigm
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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"Noun, masculine singular absolute",סוּס,sus,stallion
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"Noun, masculine plural absolute",סוּסִים,susim,stallions
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"Noun, feminine singular absolute",סוּסָה,susah,mare
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"Noun, feminine plural absolute",סוּסוֹת,susoth,mares
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Examples
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--------
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Standing alone
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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In Biblical Hebrew, when a term stands alone and is not grammatically connected to another word, it appears in the absolute
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state. This category includes terms such as a subject/object of a verb or
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relative phrase, adjectives, adverbial nouns, etc.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:1
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בָּרָ֣א **אֱלֹהִ֑ים** אֵ֥ת **הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם** וְאֵ֥ת **הָאָֽרֶץ**\ ׃
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bara **'elohim** 'eth **hashamayim** we'eth **ha'arets**
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"he-created **God** [dir.obj] **the-heavens** and-[dir.obj]
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**the-earth**."
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**God** created **the heavens** and **the earth**.
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Appearing with a prefix
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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The absolute state cannot take a suffix but can take a prefix, including a conjunction, preposition, definite article, or
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even a relative particle. For example, a term functioning as the object of a preposition can appear in the absolute state with
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a prefixed preposition, provided that there is no pronominal suffix. A term with both a prefixed preposition and a pronominal
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suffix would necessarily appear in the construct state.
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.. csv-table:: Example: GEN 1:1
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בָּרָ֣א **אֱלֹהִ֑ים** אֵ֥ת **הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם** וְאֵ֥ת **הָאָֽרֶץ**\ ׃
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bara **'elohim** 'eth **hashamayim** we'eth **ha'arets**
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"he-created **God** [dir.obj] **the-heavens** and-[dir.obj]
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**the-earth**."
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**God** created **the heavens** and **the earth**.
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.. _state_absolute-absolute-noun:
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Concluding term of a :ref:`construct chain<state_construct-construct-chain>`
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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The final word in a construct chain always appears in the absolute state either with or without the definite article. This term is
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often called the "absolute noun." If the absolute noun in a construct chain is :ref:`definite<definiteness>`, then the
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entire construct chain is definite. If the absolute noun is indefinite, then the entire construct chain is indefinite.
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.. _state_absolute-indefinite-chain:
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Indefinite construct chain
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:25
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וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א **בֶן**\ ־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמֹו֙ יִתְרָ֣א
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wa'amasa **ven**-'ish ushemow yithra
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and-Amasa **son-of**\ \_man and-his-name Jether
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Amasa was **a son of** a man named Jether
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 15:3
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אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה
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'ish **milhamah**
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man-of **war**
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a **warr**\ ior
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 17:25
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וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א **בֶן**\ ־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמֹו֙ יִתְרָ֣א
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wa'amasa **ven**-'ish ushemow yithra
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and-Amasa **son-of**\ \_man and-his-name Jether
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Amasa was **a son of** a man named Jether
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.. csv-table:: Example: EXO 15:3
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אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה
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**'ish** milhamah
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**man-of** war
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**a** warr\ **ior**
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.. _state_absolute-definite-chain:
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Definite construct chain
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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.. csv-table:: Example: 2SA 14:26
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בְּאֶ֥בֶן **הַמֶּֽלֶךְ**\ ׃
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be'even **hammelekh**
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in-weight-of **the-king**.
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by the weight of **the king**'s standard.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JOS 4:9
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אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֑ית
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**'aron** habberith
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**ark-of** the-covenant
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**the ark** of the covenant
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.. csv-table:: Example: 1SA 20:27
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בֵּ֣ן לְיִשַׁי֮
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**ben** leyishay
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**son-of** Jesse
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**the son** of Jesse
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