Ch. 4 Supplements

Requirements

The first four chapters are about orthography and phonology. They are foundational to the rest of the chapters. Make sure that you learn them well. The general rules of vowel transformation (pp. 24–26) should be memorized. You may use the Hebrew words to help you understand and memorize the rules.

The best way to memorize Rules 1–7 is to use the example words, such as:

How to Memorize the Rules:

Rule 1 concerns an accented syllable. In most first year Hebrew grammar, when the accent falls on the last syllable, it is not marked. In W2–4 (מַלְכָּה, אֲדָמָה, שׁוֹפְטִים), all vowels in the accented syllable are long. In W1 (מֶ֫לֶךְ), the accented syllable is seghol, a short vowel. Therefore, an accented syllabus is either "long" or "short", but not "reduced".
Rule 2 is about an open, unaccented syllable. W3 (אֲדָמָה) and W4 (שׁוֹפְטִים) have open, unaccented syllables. They are either long or reduced, but not short.

There are exceptions to this rule. For instance, the first syllable in אֶחָד "one (ms)" (ch. 11) is open, unaccented; it is, however, a short vowel.
As the famous saying goes: "Every rule has exceptions." We need to be aware of them. But do not stress on the exceptions, especially at the early stage of learning.

Rule 3 is about a closed, unaccented syllable. W1 (מֶ֫לֶךְ) and W2 (מַלְכָּה) both have it, and they are both short.
Rule 4 is about the general rule of an open, pretonic syllable. W3 (אֲדָמָה) is an example. It has a long vowel.
Rule 5 is about the general rule of an open, distant syllable. W3 (אֲדָמָה) is an example. It has a reduced vowel.
Rule 6 is the exception to Rule 5. W4 (שׁוֹפְטִים) is an example. The open, distant syllable in שׁוֹפְטִים is an unchangeable long vowel; therefore, it will not reduce.

Rule 5: an open, pretonic syllabus generally reduces.
An unchangeable long vowel will not reduce! (It may be "written defectively", which is different from "reduction".)

Rule 7 is the exception to Rule 4. W4 (שׁוֹפְטִים) is an example. When the stint syllable will not reduce, an open, pretonic may reduce, as in שׁוֹפְטִים.
Rule 8, 9, and 10 are not related to any other rules. You should memorize them independently. You may use the example words given in the textbook as well.