Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

Taken from: 

http://he.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%97:%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%9C%D7%99_%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%93_%D7%91%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D

An example (originally in Hebrew) for the "rule of syllables punctuation": the word עכביש AKABIY$ of Is. 59:5 

1. Syllable division: ע|כ|ביש

2. Stress location: עכביש

3. Nature of the syllables and their punctuation:

   עַ – closed, unstressed, short (closed by a dagesh forte)

   כָּ – open unstressed, long

   בִישׁ – closed, stressed, long

Punctuation: עַכָּבִישׁ

I am saying:

1. A "hard" sounding כ K indicating a dagesh in the letter –> a patax (not a qamatz) under the first letter עַ

2. A "soft" sounding ב B indicating a lack of dagesh in the letter –> a qamatz (not a patax) under the letter כ K.

3. A xiriq under the letter ב B, as heard

Punctuation: עַכָּבִישׁ

Isaac Fried, Boston University