A Primer on Ugaritic: Language, Culture, and Literature - enenuru

Letters 53
full complement of derived, or augmented, formations of verbs.
Figure 3.5 summarizes the Ugaritic verbal stems.
Basic Factitive Causative
Active G D SÁ
Passive Gp/*N Dp SÁp
Reflexive Gt Dt SÁt
Figure 3.5 Ugaritic Stems
Compare the Ugaritic, or comparative Semitic, designations of
forms with their Hebrew counterparts in Figure 3.6.
Basic Factitive Causative
Active Qal (G) Pi{el (D) Hiph{il (SÁ)
Passive Niph{al (N) Pu{al (Dp) Hoph{al (SÁp)
Reflexive – Hithpa{el (~Dt) –
Figure 3.6 Hebrew Stems
Each conjugation nuances the basic idea of the verb, although you
must always let your context be your guide in translation. Those
who have studied Biblical Hebrew have grown accustomed to the
fact that others—namely, the Masoretes—have indicated an
explicit conjugation and vocalization of verbs. In Ugaritic, there is
no vocalization so the modern reader must decide on the basis of
context and ancient parallels the appropriate interpretation of the
word in question. Varied interpretations of verbal forms will
change the vocalization and even the meaning of these texts. In this
letter, the verb ysûlm could be the D-stem prefix form (see further
§7.6.5). The D-, or “Double”-stem, is named for the doubled
second root consonant. In this instance, the form ysûlm would be
represented as a D juss 3ms yusûallim. Note that the theme vowel
D-stem is /i/ (cp. Hebrew rE;bådy). The D-stem prefixed form of