Ch. 3: Syllabification and Pronunciation

Question 1

What is the first rule of syllabification?

Answer 1

Every syllable must begin with one consonant and have only one vowel

Question 2

What is the second rule of syllabification?

Answer 2

There are only two types of syllables: open and closed

Question 3

How are syllables classified in Hebrew?

Answer 3

Syllables are classified by their proximity to the accent

Question 4

What is the first rule for identifying whether a begadkephat is a Daghesh Forte or Lene? (the main rule for determining if a Forte)

Answer 4

1. The Dahesh in a begadkephat is a Forte if preceded by a vowel

(for example the ה of אַתָּה is a Forte because it is preceded by a vowel under א)

Question 5

What is the second rule for identifying whether a begadkephat is a Daghesh Forte or Lene? (how to identify if it is a Lene)

Answer 5

2. The Dahesh in a begadkephat is a Lene if preceded by a consonant

Question 6

What is the third rule for identifying whether a begadkephat is a Daghesh Forte or Lene? (Determining if a Daghesh is in the first consonant of a word)

Answer 6

3. A begadkephat letter at the beginning of a word takes a Daghesh Lene unless the previous word ends in a vowel

Question 7

What is the main rule for determining if a Shewa is silent or vocal?

Answer 7

A Shewa is silent if the previous vowel is short. In most other circumstances, it is vocal.

Question 8

When is a Shewa Silent?

Answer 8

1. if the previous vowel is short
2. if it is the first of two contiguous Shewas
3. if it is at the end of a word (for example, כָּתַבְתְּ both Shewas are silent, since the second comes at the end of the word)
   * (In most other circumstances it is vocal)*

Question 9

What is the main rule for determining when a Shewa is vocal?

Answer 9

The Shewa is vocal if it is not immediately preceded by a short vowel

Question 10

What are two other applications for determining if the Shewa is vocal?

Answer 10

1. if it is after any unaccented long vowel
2. the second of two contiguous Shewas

Question 11

What kind of Shewa can a guttural take?

Answer 11

A guttural can only take a Silent Shewa (but ר can take a Vocal Shewa)

Question 12

When does the Qamets Hatuf occur?

Answer 12

The Qamets Hatuf occurs only in a closed and unaccented syllable (חָכְ/מַה) (The first Qamets is a Hatuf because it is closed and unaccented; the second is a Qamats because it is accented and closed)

Question 13

When does Qamets occur?

Answer 13

Qamets prefers an open, pretonic syllable or a closed, accented syllable (Ex: דָּבָר; Both are Qamets: the first is an open, pretonic syllable; the second is closed, accented)

Question 14

What is a Furtive Pathach?

Answer 14

When a word ends in Het or Ayin a Pathach may appear beneath this consonant and must be pronounced before the guttural (e.g. rûah)

Question 15

How does the Furitive Pathach effect syllabification?

Answer 15

It is not considered a full vowel, nor is it counted in syllabification (it goes along with the previous consonant/vowel combo; for example רַ/קִיעַ)

Question 16

What is a Quiescent Alef?

Answer 16

When Alef occurs without a vowel, it is quiescent – it is not considered a consonant within the rules of syllabification (for example: חַטְ/טָאת)

Question 17

What sometimes happens for the quiesced Aleph

Answer 17

Lengthen the preceding short vowel

Question 18

What syllables do short vowels prefer?

Answer 18

1. closed, unaccented (עֶ֫בֶד [בֶד])

or

2. open, accented (עֶ֫בֶד [עֶ֫])

Question 19

What syllables do long vowels prefer?

Answer 19

(changeable or unchangeable)

1. closed, accented (דָּבָר [בָר])
2. open, pretonic (דָּבָר [ָדָּ])

Question 20

What syllables do vocal Shewa and reduced vowels prefer?

Answer 20

1. open, propretonic (דְּבָרִים [דְּ)

Question 21

Reduced vowels will appear in what position with what consonant?

Answer 21

The reduced vowels appear with guttural consonants in the open, propretonic position (אֱ/לֹ/הִים)

Question 22

What kind of syllable do the reduced vowels only appear in?

Answer 22

Only in open syllables (they are never silent)

Question 23

What are three important considerations for gutturals (two of which have already been addressed in previous cards)?

Answer 23

1. The gutturals (including ר) cannot take Daghesh Forte.
2. The gutturals (excluding ר) cannot take Vocal Shewa but prefer Hateph (reduced) vowels.
3. The gutturals prefer to appear with a-class vowels.

Question 24

Gutturals prefer what vowel before them?

Answer 24

Pathach

Question 25

When a BGDKPFT letter follows a vowel what can it not have?

Answer 25

A Lene (I am not sure if this way of wording it will be helpful in the future)

Question 26

Is a syllable at the end of a word that ends with a He vowel letter open or closed?

Answer 26

It is open, because the vowel letter does not count as a consonant