The Panchronic Yiqtol: Functionally Consistent and Cognitively Plausible

Abstract

This article demonstrates that applying the panchronic methodology (based on the grammaticalization and path theories as well as on principles of cognitive linguistics) all apparently heterogeneous meanings provided by the BH yiqtol can be explained as manifestations of a consistent phenomenon. The yiqtol may be defined as portions of the imperfective and modal ability paths which jointly derive from a single lexically transparent and cognitively plausible input, a reduplicated participle as reconstructed for the PS *yaqattal. The author shows that the BH construction is a direct functional descendent of the PS *yaqattal which, after having suffered several analogical processes, was superficially modified to a shape based on the *yaqtul-u finally yielding the BH yiqtol.