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b-hebrew - [b-hebrew] Vowel Shortening Question

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  • From: E <ej2500 AT gmail.com>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Vowel Shortening Question
  • Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 13:50:46 -0500

B"H - 

I have been studying Davidson's Lexicon of Hebrew, in particular the "declension" of nouns they have arranged. 

I am stuck on a concept I can't figure out: in the 2nd declension, which refers mainly to reduction of kamets, they point out that when the grave suffix -chem is added to two words, namely 

YAD and DAM, the resulting forms are YED-CHEM and DIM-CHEM. 

They say that a patach does not result, because the forms segol-shva and hiriq-shva are shorter than the expected patach-shva. 


I am confused as to what this exactly means - what makes one construction shorter than another, when all are short vowels? 

How also, can vowels shorten out of their vowel types, e.g. a kamets moving to the e type segol, and also the i type hiriq? 

I was under the impression vowels do not switch into other vowel types - the reduction is strictly within their own boundaries. 

I am very curious about this question, and subscribed to this list on its merit. I thank anyone who can help. 

Best, 

Aviel Jones



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