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Re: [b-hebrew] b-hebrew] Hebrew pronunciation before the Masoretes

From: Will Parsons <wbparsons AT alum.mit.edu>
To: davedonnelly1 AT juno.com
Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] b-hebrew] Hebrew pronunciation before the Masoretes
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:57:22 -0500 (EST)

On Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:23:10 -0500, David P Donnelly <davedonnelly1 AT juno.com>
wrote:
> If I am not mistaken there are at least 15 occurrences of theophoric
> names in Hebrew manuscripts
> that have both Yeho prefixes and Yo prefixes.
>
> YEHOachaz---------YOachaz
> YEHOnathan--------YOnathan
> etc etc

Note that the Greek spellings with Io- could reasonable indicate either form.

> P.S. I am not aware of any Hebrew scholar who posts on b-hebrew who can
> derive a "Yeho" prefix from
> Y-a-h-w-e-h.
> Can any Hebrew scholar who posts on b-hebrew derive a "Yeho" prefix from
> YEHOwah?

The noted scholar Joshua Blau takes the view that:

The original combining form was /yahu:-/, which with elision of /h/ became
/yau-/, in which the diphthong then monophthongized , becoming /yo:-/.

A lento pronunciation in which the /h/ did not elide would have become
/yehu:-/ (where e = shwa), but this became /yeho:-/ by being blended with the
contracted form.

I'm not necessarily endorsing this, but it seems at least reasonable.

--
Will Parsons

[b-hebrew] b-hebrew] Hebrew pronunciation before the Masoretes, David P Donnelly, 01/19/2011
- Re: [b-hebrew] b-hebrew] Hebrew pronunciation before the Masoretes, Will Parsons, 01/19/2011