Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Bearpecs AT aol.com]

In a message dated 7/21/2005 6:48:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
patrick AT clubgraves.com writes:

We may  assume, therefore,
from the vary accurate mode of Assyrian  vocalization,


Let's keep in mind that in Akkadian (Babylonian,  Assyrian) five 
proto-Semitic gutturals (the equivalents of alef, heh,  Heth, `ayin, ghain) 
merged and 
were lost.  Thus Assyrian had  no heh:  as in narum (cf. Heb. nahar) and 
alakum 
(cf. Heb. holekh),  among others.  Thus I question how much we can rely on 
Assyrian  transcription of words with heh.
Hayyim