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necessity" either in sense or grammar," for it will be difficult to sound any of them double in the beginning of a word, or after a silent Sheva.

Dagesh forte causes the letter in which it appears to be read double. It generally follows a short vowel, rarely a long one, unless accented, but not after a sheva, simple or compound. Besides other uses, it points out the definitive article n, according to the judgment of the Masorites, by following it in the next letter. In like manner they have used it to point out the conversive, when such precedés ¡n (technically ¡n's) the prefixes of the future, by placing Dagesh after it. And often when in the second letter, it shows the absence of a similar one.

The gutturals *,,, and y do not receive Dagesh, either because they cannot be sounded double, or because three of these are ill fated letters and doomed to be silent, and the other (n) is naturally an aspirate, and can be nothing else.

Maccaph* is a small line resembling a Hyphen (-) but placed to range with the upper edge of the bodies of the letters. It joins words together, generally those of one syllable, to the next succeeding, when the long vowel under such word is changed to a short one; as

where Kamets is thereby changed to Kol; but's and ♬ are exceptions; as,

כָּל־

Kamets Chatuph, and is read is la, and ♬ is ma.

7

Accents are divided into tonic and euphonic. The tonic accent usually falls upon the last or penultimate syllable of a word. When upon the last, it is called y Milra, when upon the penultimate, by Milhel. Roots are generally accented on the last syllable.

Y

As every syllable must have a vowel, so it is said that every word which is not joined to the following one by Maccaph should have an accent; which is frequently expressed. The accents direct in the pronunciation of the word, show the sentence begun or ended, distinguish the members, point out the last letter of the root, and serve other purposes, particularly of melody.

They are divided into kings, princes, and servants; over all of which some place emperors. Those of inferior dignity serve to show where the stress of the voice must be laid, direct the length or undulation of the note; and carry on the respiration till they arrive at a king or one of authority superior to them, who arrests their progress by interposing a pause, and protects his own territories. It may also serve,

* From p the Huph. part. of p Syr, to connect,

at least to amuse the reader, to inform him, that those, who possess the honourable titles, have also their own particular subordinates: thus king Rebia is generally preceded by his servant Munach; and the emperor Sarka has Segol for a king, Pashta for a prince, and Mahpach for a servant. But Sarka usually ranks only as a prince..

The six Kings.

Rebia is so called because it lies upon, or over the middle of the letter. It is a dot something larger than Holem; and is distinguishable by this also, that Holem is over the edge or side of the letter. Rebia denotes a pause equal to a semicolon.

:

Sakeph Katon opp because it elevates the voice less than Sakeph gadol. It is two dots like Sheva above the letter;

and denotes a pause equal to a comma.

1:

Sakeph gadol 173 pt because it raises the voice with an additional effort. It is in all respects the Sakeph Katon, with

a perpendicular line on the left hand side of the two dots.

Segoltanho because it resembles a bracelet. It is like a Segol, and sometimes is so called, placed over the letter; and denotes a pause equal to a semicolon.

Sylluk po because it is used at the end of the verse and of the word. It is a small perpendicular line under the letter. It denotes a pause equal to a period, or soph-passuch. Vide page 9, ante.

Athnah

П because it denotes a respiration. It is a small semi

circle under the letter with its convex side uppermost, and a small line ascending from its apex towards the letter. It is equal to a colon.

The Ten Princes.

Sarka * because a scatterer of the voice. In some books it is like a small s fallen on its left side, and lying over the top of the letter; in others, it is a small o above the

letter, with a horizontal line proceeding from its left

* Where the character is wanting, the reader can, from the description, easily supply the defect with his pen.

side, which line as it advances inclines downwards. It

is at the end of the word.

Pashta N NOVD because it extends the sound. It is a small line over and perpendicular to the letter, but curved a little with

Geresch

its points towards the left. It is also usually found only at the end of a word.

because it suddenly expels the sound. It resembles the Pashta, but its points are towards the right.

Gereschajim & D' because it doubles the effect of the Geresch. It is two perpendicular and parallel curves above the letter, like that of the Geresch.

Telischa magnum

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because it draws out greatly the voice from the breast. It is a small o above the letter, with a small right line proceeding from it downwards towards the left.

Karne parah because it resembles the horns of a heifer. It is two such characters as the preceding, but with their points converging downwards, towards the middle of the top of the letter.

Patser because it disperses the sound. It is a small semicircle above the letter, with its convex side downwards, and

a tangent drawn from its left hand end perpendicularly towards the letter.

b

Schalscheleth because it resembles a chain. It is a small character above the letter like the Greek .

Tebir an because it denotes a broken sound. It is a small segment of a circle standing upon one end, concave to the

left, and containing sometimes a dot, sometimes a line, and sometimes another smaller concentric curve.

Tiphcah - because it requires the imitation of a wearied or subsiding voice. It is a somewhat curved perpendicu lar line below the letter, and hollow to the right.

The eight Servants. na broty VĚ

Munach - because it resembles a horn turned aside. It re

B

sembles a Patha under the letter with a small perpen

dicular line standing on its right hand extremity.

Mahpach 1975 because it resembles a horn turned backward,

Merca

It is an acute angle below the letter, with its angular point to the left hand. It is sometimes called Jetibb in the beginning of a word.

- because a lengthener of the sound. It is a curved perpendicular line below the line hollow to the left. the double Merca. It is two parallel

Merca Kephula

291 Mercas below the letter.

Darga because it denotes a change of the sound by degrees. It is a very small s below the letter.

Kadmap because it goes before. It is the same with Pashta, except that the character is called Kadma in the beginning or middle, and Pashta in the end of a word.

Telischa parvum op n the little Telischa. Vide ante. It is a small o above the letter, with a small line proceed

ing from it downwards, but inclining to the right.

Jareach Ben Jomo ¡¡ from its resemblance of the moon

a day old. It is the inverted Athnah, and stands, like it,

below the letter.*

The Euphonic accent is called and Metheg, because as a bridle, it restrains the voice. It is termed rhetorical or euphonic, because it renders the sound more pleasant. Its character is the same with that of the tonic accent Sylluk, and is also placed below the line. But Sylluk is found in the last word of the verse or sentence, Metheg under any of the words; and when they both occur in the same word, the first is Metheg, the last Sylluk.

The various rules relative to the uses and changes of the tonic and euphonic accents; and their numerous effects on the vowel points, with their anomalies; and the diversity of distinctions, and modes of treatment of the subject of the points, may afford employment for the space of an ordinary life. And after all, the only fruit, which can result is to communicate with the Jews, who strictly follow the points, and to understand the Masoretic gloss of the sacred standards, which, to say the least, is in some instances a perversion of the plainest and most natural sense of the sacred text.

*Pesik

פסיק

is a musical pause, being a small perpendicular line placed between two words thus, Hillui is in the form of the Munach, but is placed over the word. Also Munach and Mahpach are sometimes placed above the line; there may be also one accent above and another below the same letter.

Reading with Points exemplified in Psal. cxxxix.

*למנצח

1. Under

vowel Patha: under

is the tonic accent Tiphcah, and the short is a Sheva; which is not sounded, because it follows a short vowel. Under is Patha: under y is Tseri, and in it Dagesh forte; whereby it is rendered double, or is twice read. Under nis Patha furtivum. Lamnats-tseah.

Under is Sheva; which is read, because in the first of the word. Under is Kamets. Under is short Hirick, and the tonic accent Munach. Le David.

101 Under is short Hirick. Under is Sheva, which is not sounded, because it follows a short vowel. Under is Athnah, equivalent to a colon; and after it, Holem in the same syllable with and 7. Mizmor.

Under is Sheva, which is sounded because it stands first. After is Holem. Under the is Kamets, whereby it is read as a v; and also the tonic accent Merca, which lengthens the sound. Jehovah,

חקרתני

npn Overn is Kadma, in one copy Geresch, and under it Sheva and Patha, or Chateph Patha. Under p is Patha. Under is Sheva; which is not sounded, because it follows a short vowel. Over nis Rebia, equal to a semicolon; under it Patha, and in it Dagesh lene, following a silent Sheva. Under 3 is long Hirick. Hakartanee.

Under 1 is Patha. Under л is Tseri, and in it Dagesh forte, which renders it double. Under is Kamets, and with it Sylluk; which terminates the verse, and is equal to a period. Nevertheless the soph passuck (po 10) or Hebrew period follows. Vattedang.

2. n. Under the N is Patha. Under n is Kamets, and the tonic accent Munach, and in it Dagesh forte. Attah.

my. Under is Tiphcah, and also Patha. Under also Patha. Under y is Sheva; but not sounded, because it follows a short vowel. Under is Kamets, and in it Dagesh lene after a silent Sheva. Ja. dang-ta.

* The learner may, for his own improvement, annex with his pen, the points to the Hebrew letters.

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