Ch. 5: Grammar_Article and Conjunction

Question 1

What are three ways a Hebrew noun can be definite?

Answer 1

1. Articular
2. Proper nouns
3. Nouns with possessive pronouns

Question 2

What are the thee pattern of compensatory lengthening in Hebrew?

Answer 2

1. Pathach lengthens to Qamets (בַּ becomes בָ)
2. Hireq lengthens to Tsere (בִּ becomes בֵּ)
3. Qibbuts lengthens to Holem (בֻּ becomes בֹּ)

Question 3

What happens when the article is prefixed to יְ or מְ?

Answer 3

In most cases the nouns that begin with יְ or מְ do not take the Dagesh Forte.
2. The Pathach does not lengthen to the Qamets (as in the compensatory lengthening).
3. The loss of the Daghesh is governed by the rule of sqnmlwy
(The sqnmlwy must have the Shewa to count)

Question 4

What is sqnmlwy?

Answer 4

1 a mnemonic device that identifies all “s” type consonants ס, צ, שׂ, שׁ
2. plus the corresponding letters: q (ק), n (נ), m (מ), l (ל), and y (י)
(The sqnmlwy must have the Shewa to count)

Question 5

What happens when a sqnmlwy letter appears with a Daghesh Forte and a Vocal Shewa?

Answer 5

The Daghesh Forte will frequently drop out, but it does not always drop out (remember sqnmlwy stands for all “s” type consonants ס, צ, שׂ, שׁ
plus the corresponding letters: q (ק), n (נ), m (מ), l (ל), and y (י)
(The sqnmlwy must have the Shewa to count)

Question 6

What happens to the “bump” letters that have an initial Daghesh Lene when the conjunction is prefixed to it?

Answer 6

It will lose the Lene

Question 7

Exception to the (Waw with vocal Shewa) וְ appearing as a (Shureq) וּ: What happens if the וְis prefixed to a word that begins with the syllable יְ?

Answer 7

These two syllables contract to וִי (this is the exception to the First Rule of Shewa in 4.11.2)

Question 8

What is the exception to the conjunction וְ when it is prefixed before a reduced or Hateph vowel?

Answer 8

When אֱלֹהִים (God) occurs with וְ, it is spelled וֵאלֹהִים (and God). (This is an Exception to the Second Rule of Shewa learned in 4.11.4)This applies to this rule, this is not a general rule

Question 9

Summary: What are the four (4) basic spelling possibilities for the conjunction וְ?

Answer 9

1. Before most consonants, conjunction will appear as וְ.
2. Before ב ,מ ,פ (“bump” rule) and syllables beginning with Vocal Shewa, conjunction will appear as וּ (Shureq).
3. Before Hateph vowel, conjunction is spelled with corresponding short vowel of the Hateph vowel.
4. Before monosyllabic words and certain words with initial accent, conjuction is spelled with qamets (וָ).

Question 10

How will you know if a word in Hebrew has the conjunction prefixed or if it is just another word that starts with ו?

Answer 10

1. Only 10 Hebrew words that show up about 30 times start with the consonant ו
2. So 99% of the time, if the word starts with ו, it will be the conjunction

Question 11

What are four special uses of the definite article that do not correspond to English usage?

Answer 11

1. Demonstrative Adjective (“This king”)
2. Vocative (“O king”)
3. Superlative
4. Possessive Pronoun (“My king”)

Question 12

How is the Superlative use of the definite article used?

Answer 12

1. It is used with adjectives
2. In stead of using a positive adj use superlative
   “the good and the upright”
   “the best and the most upright”

Question 13

Even though Hebrew does not have an indefinite article, how does Hebrew sometimes mark indefiniteness?

Answer 13

1. אֶחָד (ms) “one”
2. אַחַת (fs) “one”
   (Ex. אִישׁ אֶחָד literally one man; but can be translated as “a man” or “a certain man”)

Question 14

Summary: What are the four forms that the article will take?

Answer 14

1. Basic form (basic and with Begadkephat letters)
2. הָ (gutturals: א ע ר)
3. הַ (gutturals: ה ח יְ מְ)
4. הֶ (gutturals: הָ חָ עָ unaccented [though ח can be accented])

Question 15

In a small group of words, the addition of the article causes the vowel under the first consonant to lengthen to a Qamets, what are these words?

Answer 15

אֶ֫רֶץ 
 (people) עַם
 (garden) גַּן
(mountain) הַר 
אֲרוֹן (ark)