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b-hebrew - Re[2]: YHWH vs. Yahweh

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  • From: peter_kirk AT SIL.ORG
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re[2]: YHWH vs. Yahweh
  • Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 17:42:07 -0400


If YHWH pronounced Yahweh is like the hiphil imperfect of the root HWH
(where the final H is a mater for an original Y rather than the real
voiced H found in roots like GBH "be high"), then what would the
shortened jussive form of this be? I think it would be YFHW. (yahu).
(YAH:WEH is shortened to YAH:W: as regularly with final H verbs; but
then as usual these forms become disyllabic by analogy with segolate
nouns, so YAH:W: becomes YFHW. with stress on first syllable by analogy
with &FXW. (saHu) "swimming" for &AX:W:)

This helps in explaining why Yahweh becomes -yahu with penultimate
stress when used as a suffix and therefore shortened.

Peter Kirk





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