3.8 Vowels and Syllable Preference
Memorize this table:
| Syllable | Tonic | Pretonic | Propretonic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | SHORT | LONG | REDUCED |
| Closed | LONG | SHORT | SHORT |
- Tonic syllables PREFER the listed vowels but can take any type
- Pretonic syllable REQUIRE the listed vowels
- Propretonic syllables
- Closed REQUIRES Short
- Open REQUIRES reduction from a long vowel to Vocal Sheva (or Hateph if guttural), except when there is an unchangeable long vowel
- Remember דָּבָר and דְּבָרִים
- The vowel preference table explains why the vowel under the Dalet changes from Qamets in the Open/Pretonic to Vocal Sheva (reduced vowel) in the open propretonic when the plural suffix is added
- This is called “propretonic reduction” - you will encounter this topic frequently
- As we saw with כֹּתְבִים, unchangeable long vowels that are written “defectively” will not reduce - at their essence, they are still unchangeable
PAUSAL FORMS
- A notable exception to these preferences is called the “pausal form”
- This is where a short vowel can become long (for example קָטַל becomes קָטָל) if the word is located at a certain point in a sentence
- A rough approximation in English would be words concluding with a comma
- Pausal Forms are generally an intermediate Hebrew topic, but it’s good to be aware of when you encounter spellings that don’t seem to mesh with the vowel/syllable table