I wonder if this initial shuruq was originally consonantal vav (still with a w sound) pointed with qubuts. That would accord with the similar rule for other prefixes before a sheva: the sheva becomes hiriq after B-, K- and L-; but after W- hiriq would be replaced by qubuts by assimilation. Later, when most w's came to be pronounced as v (anyone know when this was, by the way?) this vav would not have changed because of its context and so would gradually have been simplified to a long u sound. These changes may have affected the pronunciation of the following sheva, but more probably did not.===== Original Message From "Jason Hare" <jason AT hareplay.com> =====
I have to agree with George (gfsomsel). I think it is indeed vocal. The
shurek is a long vowel, so it would indicate that it is NOT a closed
syllable.
How do you know it's long? Shurek is nothing more than a kubutz when a vav is present. Granted, in a lot of cases vav as a mater marks long-u, but I'll point out again that this is an odd case.
Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics
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