The existential construction in Spoken Modern Hebrew

Abstract

This contribution is part of the Debate section that dialogues with the two-part paper "The Syntax of Existential Constructions" by Shlomo Izre'el from Tel-Aviv University published in Volume 11 in 2022. In this response and rejoinder to Izre'el's monumental paper on existential constructions in spoken Israeli Hebrew, I call attention to the fact that unlike European languages, Hebrew is a non-subject oriented or non-configurational language type, and highlight that existential particle yeš in Hebrew is a TAM marker. I further enhance on the multifactionality of constructions featuring particle yeš far beyond bare assertion of existence. In addition, I refer to the high productivity of competitive configurations to the bare existential yeš construction based on a range of eventive-situative and locational verbs that are widespread in current use of Hebrew.