Ch. 10; Construct Chain Flashcards
How does Hebrew express the “of” idea?
Construct chain
How is the construct chain constructed?
Two nouns side by side
What is the first of the two nouns in the construct chain called? And in what state is it?
- construct noun
2. construct state
What is the second of the two nouns in the construct chain called? And in what state is it?
- absolute noun
2. absolute state
What form does the absolute noun take
lexical form
How many construct and absolute nouns can there be and what is the order?
- there can be multiple construct nouns, but only one absolute noun
What is the order of the construct chain and can there be modifiers?
- the absolute noun must come last
2. No other words or particles may separate them (except the definite article on the absolute noun)
How is definiteness and indefiniteness determined in a construct chain
- They are either all definite or indefinite
- only the absolute noun can take the article
- If the absolute noun is definite so are all the constructs nouns; if it is indefinite so are all the construct nouns
Besides the article, what are two other ways that a noun can be definite and how does this effect the construct chain?
- 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
Besides nouns appearing next to each other, how else can the construct chain be constructed?
with the Maqqef
מֶ֫לֶךְ כָּל־הָאָ֫רֶץ
the king /of/ all /of/ the earth
Can construct nouns take a inseparable preposition?
yes
בְּבֵית דָּוִד
in the house of david
What happens if a word begins with a Dagesh Lene in a begadkephat and an inseparable preposition is added to it?
It loses the Lene, because it is now preceded by a vowel
What are the two translations for the construct chain?
of (ex. the son of the king)
‘s (ex. the king’s son)
How are adjectives used in a construct chain? Whether it is modifying the construct or absolute noun?
- It must follow the entire chain
2. It must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and definiteness
One example of an adjective with a construct chain
דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה הַטּוֹב
“The good word of the queen” (the adjective is masculine singular, modifying the construct noun)
A second example of an adjective with a construct chain
דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה הַטּוֹבָה
“The word of the good queen” (The adjective is feminine singular, modifying the absolute noun)
What if there is uncertainty whether the adjective is modifying the construct or absolute noun?
context
How are demonstrative adjectives used in a construct chain? Whether it is modifying the construct or absolute noun?
- It must follow the entire chain
2. It must agree with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and definiteness
What if there is uncertainty whether the demonstrative adjective is modifying the construct or absolute noun?
context
How can adjectives be used substantivally in a construct state?
- They just replace a noun
חֲכַם־לֵב
Wise of heart
What happens to the accent to nouns in the construct state? And how does that affect spelling?
- They lose their accent to the absolute noun
2. Vowels tend to reduce and changes occur in the ending of a construct noun
In the construct state, what happens to changeable long vowels in a final closed syllable?
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)
In the construct state, what happens to changeable long vowels in a open syllable?
They reduce to a Vocal Shew or Hateph Pathach with gutturals because the syllable moves into the propretonic position
נְבִיא < נָבִיא
הֲמוֹן < הָמוֹן
In the construct state explain why the following vowels are reduced
דְּבַר < דָּבָר
- The Qamets reduces to a vocal Shewa because it is now in an open propretonic syllable
- The Qamets reduces to a Pathach because it is now in a closed unaccented syllable
In the construct state explain why the following vowels changes with plural nouns
בִּרְכוֹת < בְּרָכוֹת
- 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
In the construct state, what happens to feminine nouns that end in a Qamets He?
They will change to a Pathach Taw
תּוֹרַת < תּוֹרָה
In the construct state, what happens to the masculine plural and dual endings (Hireq Yod Mem)?
They change to Tsere Yod
בְּנֵי < בָּנִים
In the construct state, what happens to feminine plural nouns?
They do not change their ending
In the construct state, what happens to the masculine nouns ending with Seghol He?
They change to a Tsere He
שְׂדֵה < שָׂדֶה
In the construct state, what happens when certain (not all!) singular monosyllabic nouns?
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
אֲבִי
father of
אָבִי
my father
In the construct state, what happens to plural Segholate nouns (remember that these all take the vowels Vocal/Hateph and Qamets)?
- The Vocal Shewa/Hateph will change to a short vowel instead
- If a Hateph it will take the corresponding short vowel; if a V. Shewa it will take a Hireq
In the construct state, what happens to the AY and AW diphthong
- AY = Tsere Yod
- AW = Holem Waw
בֵּית < בַּ֫יִת
מוֹת < מָ֫וֶת
In the construct state, what happens to monosyllabic nouns with an unchangeable long vowel (Holem Waw, Shureq, Hireq Yod) and singular Segholate nouns?
They have no spelling changes (context must determine if they are in the construct state)
What is the most common way that Hebrew constructs the a superlative?
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)
What is another way that Hebrew uses the construct chain to create a superlative idea?
- two nouns in a construct chain where the construct noun is singular and the absolute noun is plural and definite
- The two nouns must be the same
“The holy of holies” = “the most holy place”
