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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] shwa

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>
  • To: "Dr. Joel M. Hoffman" <joel AT exc.com>
  • Cc: VadimCherny AT mail.ru, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] shwa
  • Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 13:47:33 +0000

On 15/03/2006 13:05, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
But once you come to the realization that a shwa represents the lack
of a vowel --- no more, no less --- everything because eaiser and more

I understood you saying in the quoted message that each schwa represents a
vowel. Thus, the question, what vowel is represented by schwa in niphal?

I don't know how I can be clearer. "Shwa"="no vowel." When there's
no vowel, there's a shwa. That's it.

Tiberian Hebrew orthography requires a mark under (almost) every
non-final letter. When there's no vowel sound, and thus no vowel
mark, a shwa gets written.

Also, as I understand it, when there is no vowel mark and no sheva (and no following shuruq or full holam), except for word finally, that indicates that the letter itself is silent, e.g. silent alef in ro'sh, yod and vav matres lectionis, the redundant sin in Issachar. In other words, the sheva needs to be written if the consonant is to be sounded at all.

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





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