16: Pronoun Suffixes On Singular Nouns Flashcards
How does Hebrew express possession?
Hebrew expresses possession by adding pronouns suffixes to the end of nouns. There is a set of suffixes for singular nouns and a related set for plural nouns.
(What Futato calls “possessive”, Goldstein calls “pronoun” suffixes)
סוּסוֹ
3ms, “his horse”
סוּסָהּ
3fs, “her horse”
סוּסְךָ
2ms, “your horse”
סוּסֵךְ
2fs, “your horse”
סוּסִי
1cs, “my horse”
סוּסָם
3mp, “their horse”
סוּסָן
3fp, “their horse”
סוּסְכֶם
2mp, “your horse”
סוּסְכֶן
2fp, “your horse”
סוּסֵנוּ
1cp, “our horse”
Recite the Form of the Suffixes
What is the dot in the ה on the 3fs suffix?
The dot in the hey ( ה ) of the 3fs suffix is called “mappiq” and indicates that the hey is a consonant, not a vowel letter.
What is the difference in the Form of the Feminine Nouns before the suffixes?
The same paradigm, but because the short patach ( ַ ) of the construct form is in an open pretonic syllable in most suffixed forms, it is lengthened to medium qamets ( ָ ), resulting in סוּסָת, except in the 2mp and 2fp, where the closed syllable preserves the patach ( ַ ).
Are words with a pronoun suffix definite or indefinite?
Words with a pronoun suffix are definite.
If such words are:
- modified by an attributive adjective, the adjective has the definite article;
- the direct object of a verb, the form is preceded by the direct object marker אֵת/אֶת־; or
- the last word in a construct phrase, the whole phrase is definite.
How do nouns with forms as דָּבָר change with the pronoun suffix?
Because the addition of the pronoun suffix is similar to the addition of the plural suffix, the form of the noun with the pronoun suffixes will be similar to the form of the noun in the plural, for example:
דָּבָר > דְּבָרוֹ “his word”
לֵבָב > לְבָבוֹ “his heart”
The main change is that medium vowels in open propretonic syllables reduce to sheva
How do nouns with forms as נֶפֶשׁ, and סֵפֶר and בֹּקֶר change with the pronoun suffix?
The vowels in segolate nouns with suffixes cannot be explained by the rules of vowel reduction. The original short vowel is preserved in forms with the possessive suffix.
- first letter short vowel, second silent sheva
How do noun forms as עַם change with the pronoun suffix?
Nouns from geminate roots will show gemination when possessive suffixes are added, just as they do when the plural suffix is added.
עַמִּים < עַם therefore, עַמּוֹ < עַם “his people”
How do noun forms as בַּיִת change with the pronoun suffix?
Because diphthongs contract in unaccented syllables, as in the construct state the diphthong will contract when a pronoun suffix is added,
בֵּיתוֹ < בַּיִת “his house”
What are some nouns with odd forms in the construct and with pronoun suffixes?
End with pronoun suffixes.
אַחַר
behind, after, west
אֹיֶב
enemy
אֵלֶּה
these
אֱנוֹשׁ
man
זֹאת
this (f)
זֶה
this (m)
יָכֹל
he was able
יָצָא
he went out
יָרַד
he went down, descended
עָלָה
he went up, ascended
