Syllabification

Question 1

2 Rules of Syllabification

Answer 1

1. Every syllable must begin with one consonant and have only one vowel.
2. There are only two types of syllables: open and closed.

Question 2

Daghesh Forte

Answer 2

All consonants except gutturals and ר can take a daghesh forte.

Question 3

Daghesh lene vs. Daghesh forte

Answer 3

1. The daghesh in a begadkephat is a Forte if preceded by a vowel.
2. The daghesh in a begadkephat is a Lene if preceded by a consonant.
3. A begadkephat letter at the beginning of a word takes a daghesh Lene unless the previous word ends in a vowel.

Question 4

Silent shewa vs. vocal shewa

Answer 4

The vocal shewa will always occur in an open syllable vs. The silent shewa which will always come at the end of a closed syllable.

Question 5

Silent shewa

Answer 5

1. Immediately after a short vowel (or an accented long vowel)
2. At the end of a closed syllable
3. The first of 2 side-by-side shewas
4. At the end of a word
5. Gutturals

Question 6

Vocal shewa

Answer 6

1. Not immediately after a short vowel (or accented long vowel)
2. Initial shewa
3. The second of 2 side-by-side shewas
4. A shewa under any consonant with Daghesh Forte
5. A shewa after an unaccented long vowel

Question 7

Qamets vs. Qamets Hatuf

Answer 7

1. Qamets occurs much more frequently than Qamets Hatuf
2. Qamets Hatuf occurs only in a closed and unaccented syllable
3. Qamets prefers an open, pretonic syllable or a closed, accented syllable.
4. The small symbol called the Methig (small vertical line) is placed beneath a consonant and to the left of a vowel. Methig occurs with Qamets, not Qamets Hatuf.

Question 8

Furtive Pathach

Answer 8

When a word ends in ע or ח a pathach may appear beneath this consonant and must be pronounced and transliterated before the guttural. Not considered to be a full vowel, and is not counted in syllabification.

Question 9

Quiescent א

Answer 9

When א occurs without a vowel, it is silent and not considered to be a consonant with reference to the rules of syllabification.

Question 10

Diphthong יִ _

Answer 10

ayi

Syllable with this diphthong is closed syllable.

Question 11

Vowels’ Syllable Preference

Answer 11

1. Short vowels prefer either closed, unaccented syllables or open, accented syllables.
2. Long vowels (changeable or unchangeable) prefer closed, accented syllables or open, pretonic syllables.
3. Vocal shewa and reduced (Hateph) vowels prefer open, propretonic syllables. Reduced vowels appear w/ guttural consonants in the open, propretonic position. (Exceptions to rule exist)