From: "Matthew R. Miller" <biblicalscribe AT hotmail.com>
To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
Subject: A Thankful Ayin
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:28:39 -0500
Thanks to all for the wonderful suggestions on pronouncing the ayin. So, I
have summarized below my understanding of aleph and ayin, and would
appreciate any corrections from people who know better than I. Thanks!
1. Aleph: When non-quiescent, it acts as a glottal stop, from which a
vowel is produced, thus acting as a silent, glottal consonant. When
quiescent, it merely lengthens a vowel, much like the German "h" in gehen.
No?
2. Ayin: Never quiescent, nor so much a glottal stop, but a fricative,
glottal, voiced consonant.