Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

I wonder if the furtive Petah is a vestage of an original pronunciation of 
-Ha or -Xa, or in the case of Ayin -(a with a full glottal stop? It makes 
those readings a lot easier.

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Kirk" <peterkirk AT qaya.org>

> 
> On 20/07/2005 23:11, Read, James C wrote:
> 
> > After hearing all the evidences in favour of a bisyllabic 
> > Yaho/Yahu pronunciation my curiosity has been much aroused.
> > Does anyone know of any examples of a final long o/u vowel with a 
> > terminating vocal he?
> > Is the pronunciation Yahoh/Yahuh possible?
> > Is it possible that the waw only ever stood for a long vowel of type o/u?
> > If so, why do names comprising Yaho/Yahu emit the final he?
> >
> >
> >
> A word final vocal he (i.e. he with mappiq) follows the same rule as for
> het and ayin, that it must be preceded by an "a" vowel. So, if there is
> originally another vowel, a "furtive patah" is inserted giving a short
> "a" sound. Thus for example there is the rare word for "God" ELOAH, with
> a furtive patah before the vocal he - and its more common plural form
> ELOHIM, where the furtive patah has disappeared because this is no
> longer the final syllable.
> 
> Also Yahoh and Yahuh are impossible because an "a" vowel in that
> position would be shortened to sheva.
> 
> So we might expect, rather than Yahoh or Yahuh, Yehoah or Yehuah - where
> "e" represents sheva, and the final "h" is pronounced. These are indeed
> possible pronunciations of YHWH - and, yes, they are trisyllabic.
> 
> --
> Peter Kirk
> peter AT qaya.org (personal)
> peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
> http://www.qaya.org/

-- 
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