[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo-2006-li-va-yehi-discourse-marker-kings/)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [docs](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/) / [papers](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/) / [Ancient Hebrew](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo/) / Va'yehi as a Discourse Marker in Kings

# Va'yehi as a Discourse Marker in Kings

**Authors:** Tarsee Li · **Year:** 2006 · **Venue:** Andrews University Seminary Studies 44/2 **Link:** [digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol44/iss2/4](https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol44/iss2/4) · not in the library (download refused, HTTP 403, 2026-10-17) · **Licence:** free to read, no CC licence — summary only

Digital Commons - Andrews University (Andrews University)

- [Publisher's page](https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol44/iss2/4)
- [PDF](https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2957&context=auss)

**Authors (1)**

1. Tarsee Li

Citations and author metrics from OpenAlex (); authors with the same name are not always told apart.

## What it is about

**Not read: the PDF could not be fetched.** From the title: a study of וַיְהִי ("and it was / and it came to pass") in the books of Kings, arguing that in many of its uses it is not a full verb but a discourse marker — it introduces a temporal setting (וַיְהִי + time phrase or infinitive clause), opens a new episode, or marks a turning point in the story. The paper presumably separates these marker uses from וַיְהִי as a real copula or existential verb ("there was …", "X became …"). Check against the text.

## Ideas

- I1. (to check) Split every Torah וַיְהִי into two classes by tree shape: *marker* (followed by a temporal PP, בְּ/כְּ + infinitive, or a time noun, and then a wayyiqtol main clause) versus *verb* (with its own subject or predicate). Count each.
- I2. (to check) Marker וַיְהִי as an episode boundary: measure how often it falls at or right after a Masoretic paragraph mark.
- I3. In the trees, attach marker וַיְהִי as a discourse element (`discourse` or `mark`) rather than as the root, and keep the following wayyiqtol as the clause head; compare with PTNK.

## For Mova

I1–I2 go into [Discourse: narrative, speech and the shape of a text](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/languages/hbo/09-discourse/) §5 (וַיְהִי) and `src/prag.rs`; I3 is a converter choice in `tools/macula` to measure against PTNK with `macula compare`. Re-read once the PDF is in.

Topics: [Discourse analysis](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/topics/discourse-analysis/)

## Cite

The paper itself, not this card. BibTeX from the library's record of the work.

```
@inproceedings{li2006va,
  title = {{Va'yehi as a Discourse Marker in Kings}},
  author = {Li, Tarsee},
  booktitle = {Digital Commons - Andrews University (Andrews University)},
  year = {2006},
  url = {https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/auss/vol44/iss2/4}
}
```

- [← previous Issues in the Linguistic Analysis of a Dead Language, with Particular Reference to Ancient Hebrew](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo-2006-holmstedt-issues-linguistic-analysis-dead-language/)
- [next → Discourse Structure, Verb Forms, and Archaism in Psalm 18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo-2006-longacre-discourse-structure-verb-forms-archaism/)
- [↑ back to Ancient Hebrew](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/papers/hbo/)