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b-hebrew - Re: tiberian vowels long phonemically

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  • From: peter_kirk AT sil.org
  • To: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: tiberian vowels long phonemically
  • Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 00:57:25 -0400


Vince wrote:

> qal *u hifil *i

> long /VV/ YFQW.M YFQIYM
> short stressed /V/ YFQOM YFQ"M
> unstressed WAY.FQFM WAY.FQEM

> in this case, a three way opposition is explained as a contrast
> between /VV/ and /V/, and also in quality/length distinctions for
> /V/ under stress. vowel length is phonemic in underlying
> representations.

Henry wrote:

Well, active phonological alternations between "long" h.ireq or
h.ireq-yod and s.ere/s@ghol are not actually very frequent (perhaps
mainly relics from an earlier diachronic stage of the language), nor
are alternations between "long" shureq/qibbus. and h.olem/qames..

Peter's comment:

Am I right in understanding this as good evidence that the
YFQW.M/YFQOM and YFQIYM/YFQ"M alternations are not phonologically
conditioned but are likely to reflect different underlying verb forms?
This is thus good evidence, surely, for a deep difference between
"long" and "short" forms of YIQTOL, and that WAYYIQTOL is not simply
WE- plus ordinary YIQTOL (though it might be WE- plus short jussive
YIQTOL). Any further comment on this argument?

Peter Kirk





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