Ch. 10; Construct Chain

Question 1

How does Hebrew express the “of” idea?

Answer 1

Construct chain

Question 2

How is the construct chain constructed?

Answer 2

Two nouns side by side

Question 3

What is the first of the two nouns in the construct chain called? And in what state is it?

Answer 3

1. construct noun

2. construct state

Question 4

What is the second of the two nouns in the construct chain called? And in what state is it?

Answer 4

1. absolute noun

2. absolute state

Question 5

What form does the absolute noun take

Answer 5

lexical form

Question 6

How many construct and absolute nouns can there be and what is the order?

Answer 6

1. there can be multiple construct nouns, but only one absolute noun

Question 7

What is the order of the construct chain and can there be modifiers?

Answer 7

1. the absolute noun must come last

2. No other words or particles may separate them (except the definite article on the absolute noun)

Question 8

How is definiteness and indefiniteness determined in a construct chain

Answer 8

1. They are either all definite or indefinite
2. only the absolute noun can take the article
3. If the absolute noun is definite so are all the constructs nouns; if it is indefinite so are all the construct nouns

Question 9

Besides the article, what are two other ways that a noun can be definite and how does this effect the construct chain?

Answer 9

1. proper noun and possessive pronoun

2. Even in the absence of the article the above will make the entire chain definite if it is the absolute noun

Question 10

Besides nouns appearing next to each other, how else can the construct chain be constructed?

Answer 10

with the Maqqef
מֶ֫לֶךְ כָּל־הָאָ֫רֶץ
the king /of/ all /of/ the earth

Question 11

Can construct nouns take a inseparable preposition?

Answer 11

yes
בְּבֵית דָּוִד
in the house of david

Question 12

What happens if a word begins with a Dagesh Lene in a begadkephat and an inseparable preposition is added to it?

Answer 12

It loses the Lene, because it is now preceded by a vowel

Question 13

What are the two translations for the construct chain?

Answer 13

of (ex. the son of the king)

‘s (ex. the king’s son)

Question 14

How are adjectives used in a construct chain? Whether it is modifying the construct or absolute noun?

Answer 14

1. It must follow the entire chain

2. It must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and definiteness

Question 15

One example of an adjective with a construct chain

Answer 15

דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה הַטּוֹב

“The good word of the queen” (the adjective is masculine singular, modifying the construct noun)

Question 16

A second example of an adjective with a construct chain

Answer 16

דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה הַטּוֹבָה

“The word of the good queen” (The adjective is feminine singular, modifying the absolute noun)

Question 17

What if there is uncertainty whether the adjective is modifying the construct or absolute noun?

Answer 17

context

Question 18

How are demonstrative adjectives used in a construct chain? Whether it is modifying the construct or absolute noun?

Answer 18

1. It must follow the entire chain

2. It must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and definiteness

Question 19

What if there is uncertainty whether the demonstrative adjective is modifying the construct or absolute noun?

Answer 19

context

Question 20

How can adjectives be used substantivally in a construct state?

Answer 20

1. They just replace a noun
   חֲכַם־לֵב
   Wise of heart

Question 21

What happens to the accent to nouns in the construct state? And how does that affect spelling?

Answer 21

1. They lose their accent to the absolute noun

2. Vowels tend to reduce and changes occur in the ending of a construct noun

Question 22

In the construct state, what happens to changeable long vowels in a final closed syllable?

Answer 22

They reduce to a short vowel because the syllable becomes unaccented
בֶּן < בֵּן
מִדְבַּר < מדְבָּר
(with a few words, Tsere reduces to Pathach in a final closed syllable)

Question 23

In the construct state, what happens to changeable long vowels in a open syllable?

Answer 23

They reduce to a Vocal Shew or Hateph Pathach with gutturals because the syllable moves into the propretonic position
נְבִיא < נָבִיא
הֲמוֹן < הָמוֹן

Question 24

In the construct state explain why the following vowels are reduced
דְּבַר < דָּבָר

Answer 24

1. The Qamets reduces to a vocal Shewa because it is now in an open propretonic syllable
2. The Qamets reduces to a Pathach because it is now in a closed unaccented syllable

Question 25

In the construct state explain why the following vowels changes with plural nouns בִּרְכוֹת < בְּרָכוֹת

Answer 25

1. The Qamets under the Resh reduced to a vocal Shewa | 2. The two vocal Shewa contracted to a Hireq - Silent Shewa in accordance with the first rule of Shewa

Question 26

In the construct state, what happens to feminine nouns that end in a Qamets He?

Answer 26

They will change to a Pathach Taw | תּוֹרַת < תּוֹרָה

Question 27

In the construct state, what happens to the masculine plural and dual endings (Hireq Yod Mem)?

Answer 27

They change to Tsere Yod | בְּנֵי < בָּנִים

Question 28

In the construct state, what happens to feminine plural nouns?

Answer 28

They do not change their ending

Question 29

In the construct state, what happens to the masculine nouns ending with Seghol He?

Answer 29

They change to a Tsere He | שְׂדֵה < שָׂדֶה

Question 30

In the construct state, what happens when certain (not all!) singular monosyllabic nouns?

Answer 30

They add a Hireq Yod to their stem (this also occurs when these same nouns take pronominal suffices [9.9]; be careful not to confuse this Hireq Yod with the 1cs pronominal suffix

Question 31

אֲבִי

Answer 31

father of

Question 32

אָבִי

Answer 32

my father

Question 33

In the construct state, what happens to plural Segholate nouns (remember that these all take the vowels Vocal/Hateph and Qamets)?

Answer 33

1. The Vocal Shewa/Hateph will change to a short vowel instead 2. If a Hateph it will take the corresponding short vowel; if a V. Shewa it will take a Hireq

Question 34

In the construct state, what happens to the AY and AW diphthong

Answer 34

1. AY = Tsere Yod 2. AW = Holem Waw בֵּית < בַּ֫יִת מוֹת < מָ֫וֶת

Question 35

In the construct state, what happens to monosyllabic nouns with an unchangeable long vowel (Holem Waw, Shureq, Hireq Yod) and singular Segholate nouns?

Answer 35

They have no spelling changes (context must determine if they are in the construct state)

Question 36

What is the most common way that Hebrew constructs the a superlative?

Answer 36

The use of an adjective that has been made definite by the definite article, a pronominal suffix, or the construct state (context will the determiner)

Question 37

What is another way that Hebrew uses the construct chain to create a superlative idea?

Answer 37

1. two nouns in a construct chain where the construct noun is singular and the absolute noun is plural and definite 2. The two nouns must be the same "The holy of holies" = "the most holy place"