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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] dagesh in two root nouns with patah

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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: Randall Buth <randallbuth AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] dagesh in two root nouns with patah
  • Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 20:28:55 -0500

Sorry, but I have never heard דלים spoken with a "phonemically lengthened" ל . I think you refer to the natural "doubling" of any consonant situated between two vowels, sounded once upon entering it and once upon leaving it. I don't even remotely believe that the ancient Hebrew speaker doubled in his mouth a consonant written only once, and that the NAKDANIYM reached the point of even marring the shape of the Hebrew letter to mark such silliness.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Nov 14, 2010, at 6:55 PM, Randall Buth wrote:

Isaac Fried, Boston University
1. If it is "lengthening" and not merely "doubling", then why not
DALLLLIYM for the very DAL?

because the word we are talking about is דלים
with a phonemically lengthened ל.
Regardless of how much longer the lamed is held, the various extra
lengths clock as 'length', 'one length feature',
Just like in other languages around the world where length is a phonemic
feature of the language.

Length is relative to the surrounding sounds and
the rate of speech. Foreigners in a language may not even perceive the
lengthened sounds at first until their 'ears' adjust to the new sound system
over months and even longer.
This is a common experience for people learning Arabic.
You can hear it, though, in Abraham Shmueloff's readings of BH on the net.





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