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b-hebrew - Re: Semetic Vowels Finalized

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  • From: Bearpecs AT aol.com
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Semetic Vowels Finalized
  • Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2001 22:31:26 EDT

In a message dated 9/4/01 2:26:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
biblicalscribe AT hotmail.com writes:
Or is there another possible theoretical explanation of the lack
of vowels in many ancient Semetic languages?


I'm really not sure what the real question is here.  Are you asking why
SEMITIC languages didn't seem to care much about the vowels, in comparison
with NON-SEMITIC languages.  If that's the question, the standard answer IMHO
is sufficient:  Semitic languages rely on consonantal roots which carry
meaning and on predictable patterns which determine vocalization.  Is there
something that remains unexplained?
(By the way, note that although Ugaritic otherwise does not indicate vowels,
it does so at the beginning of words which start with aleph.)



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