# Aramaic: this year/this is the year



## zaw

Hi,

How do you show the difference between this year and This is the year?

I think דָּא שִׁנְתָּא means This is the year but שִׁנְתָּא דָּא means this year

Toda raba


----------



## Ali Smith

It should be שַׁנְתָּא, not שִׁנְתָּא. The latter is the emphatic form of שְׁנָה in the sense of 'sleep' while the former is the emphatic form of שְׁנָה in the sense of 'year'.

אֱ֠דַ֠יִן אֲזַ֨ל מַלְכָּ֤א לְהֵֽיכְלֵהּ֙ וּבָ֣ת טְוָ֔ת וְדַחֲוָ֖ן לָא־הַנְעֵ֣ל קׇֽדָמ֑וֹהִי וְשִׁנְתֵּ֖הּ נַדַּ֥ת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃
(דניאל ו יט)


----------



## Ali Smith

I just realized I never answered your question. Here it is:

When used attributively, the demonstrative pronoun usually follows the noun it is modifying. In the Masoretic text 90% of the time this is the case. Only 10% of the time does an attributive demonstrative pronoun precede the noun it is modifying.

The demonstrative pronouns are not frequently used predicatively, but when they are, they stand at the beginning of the clause. The predicate comes next, but sometimes a copula intervenes.

Therefore,

שַׁתָּא דָּא is "this year"
דָּא שַׁתָּא or דָּא הִיא שַׁתָּא is "This is the year." (The copula is optional.)


----------



## Abaye

We say שַׁתָּא.

Klein Dictionary, שַׁתָּא 1


----------



## Ali Smith

Yes, you're right. Sorry about that.

ואין בתר יובילא יקדיש חקליה וידייק ליה כהנא ית סכום כספא כמיסת שניא דמשתיירן עד שתא דיובלא ומנכי ליה מן עלוייה
(Pseudo-Jonathan to Lev 27:18)


----------

