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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] CV syllables, was music in Hebrew

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>
  • To: Herman Meester <crazymulgogi AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] CV syllables, was music in Hebrew
  • Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:15:36 +0000

On 31/01/2006 22:21, Herman Meester wrote:

...


It is quite possible that Hebrew once had (no longer visible) case
endings, in the same way modern standard Arabic (on the higher
stylistic level at least) still has.


As I understood it, these endings are never actually used in modern Arabic, but only in classical texts, and I suppose a few deliberate imitations of classical texts. If I am wrong here, I would be interested to know - as I am trying to study Arabic.

However, if we have original case endings that have ossified and no
longer function as case endings, such as the word layla לילה, which is
probable the "accusative" of layl ליל, cf. יומם ולילה yomam wa-layla,
then this is indicated with a mater lectionis ה hey.

The fact that לילה layla, unlike feminine words ending on -a ה, has
penultimate stress, proves this. ...


Is the directional he suffix also an ossified accusative ending? This is also unstressed, I think, and is also written with a he mater lectionis.


... Third, Hebrew doesn't
have real open syllables that have patach. ...


Patah is found in stressed open syllables in words with non-final stress like TAXAT "under" and BAYIT "house", and in the dual suffix -AYIM. But I suppose such words are basically segolates, with patah instead of segol next to a guttural or a yod, and so were originally closed by two consonants which became separated by the late addition of an unstressed vowel.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/





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