Ch3 Syllable Division Exercise — Syllabification and Pronunciation

BBH Chapter 3 · 20 words

Instructions: For each Hebrew word:
  1. Write the syllable division using hyphens (e.g., דָּ-בָר)
  2. Label each syllable O (open) or C (closed) — e.g., O-C
  3. Mark the stressed syllable with an asterisk (*) in the Stress column — write the stressed syllable
  4. Note any Qamets Hatuf (short ŏ) — write QH, or — if none
# Word Syllable Division Types (O/C) Stress Qamets Hatuf?
1 אֱלֹהִים
✓ אֱלֹהִים אֱ-לֹ-הִים O-O-C הִים* — Hateph seghol (guttural); final mem closes syl. 3
2 בְּרֵאשִׁית
✓ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּ-רֵא-שִׁית O-O-C שִׁית* — Vocal shewa (word-initial); aleph mater in syl. 2; yod mater in syl. 3; taw closes
3 הָאָרֶץ
✓ הָאָרֶץ הָ-אָ-רֶץ O-O-C רֶץ* — Article הָ open; aleph (guttural) opens syl. 2; both qamets = long ā (open syllables)
4 שָׁמַיִם
✓ שָׁמַיִם שָׁ-מַ-יִם O-O-C יִם* — שָׁ open (long ā); מַ open (patach); yod opens syl. 3; final mem closes
5 יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
✓ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יְ-רוּ-שָׁ-לַ-יִם O-O-O-O-C יִם* — Vocal shewa (word-initial); five syllables; waw mater (long û); final mem closes
6 דָּבָר
✓ דָּבָר דָּ-בָר O-O בָר* — Both syllables open; both qamets = long ā; milra (stress on ultima)
7 מֶלֶךְ
✓ מֶלֶךְ מֶ-לֶךְ O-C לֶךְ* — Syl. 1 open (seghol); syl. 2 closed by final kaph (silent shewa)
8 בְּרִית
✓ בְּרִית בְּ-רִית O-C רִית* — Vocal shewa (word-initial bet); yod mater (long hireq); final taw closes
9 שָׁבַת
✓ שָׁבַת שָׁ-בַת O-C בַת* — שָׁ open (long ā); בַת closed by final taw; note: Dagesh Lene in bet (not Forte)
10 נָבִיא
✓ נָבִיא נָ-בִיא O-O בִיא* — נָ open; yod mater (long hireq); aleph quiesces word-finally; ultima is open
11 אֲדֹנָי
✓ אֲדֹנָי אֲ-דֹ-נָי O-O-O נָי* — Hateph patach under aleph (guttural, not simple vocal shewa); all three syllables open
12 יִשְׂרָאֵל
✓ יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשׂ-רָ-אֵל C-O-C אֵל* — Silent shewa under sin (closes syl. 1); רָ open; aleph quiescent in syl. 3; tsere-aleph mater; lamed closes
13 כֹּהֵן
✓ כֹּהֵן כֹּ-הֵן O-C הֵן* — Holem on kaph (open); he opens syl. 2 with tsere; nun closes
14 מִשְׁפָּט
✓ מִשְׁפָּט מִשׁ-פָּט C-C פָּט* — Silent shewa under shin (closes syl. 1); Dagesh Forte in pe; qamets long ā (accented); tet closes syl. 2
15 תּוֹרָה
✓ תּוֹרָה תּוֹ-רָה O-O רָה* — Waw mater (long holem); he at word-end = vowel letter (no mappiq); both syllables open
16 שָׁלוֹם
✓ שָׁלוֹם שָׁ-לוֹם O-C לוֹם* — שָׁ open (long ā); waw mater (long holem); final mem closes syl. 2
17 חֶסֶד
✓ חֶסֶד חֶ-סֶד O-C סֶד* — חֶ open (seghol); סֶד closed by dalet; guttural (chet) opens syl. 1
18 קֹדֶשׁ
✓ קֹדֶשׁ קֹ-דֶשׁ O-C דֶשׁ* — Holem on qoph (open); דֶשׁ closed by final shin
19 אֶרֶץ
✓ אֶרֶץ אֶ-רֶץ O-C רֶץ* — Aleph (guttural) opens syl. 1 with seghol; רֶץ closed by final tsade
20 עַם
✓ עַם עַם C עַם* — Single closed syllable; ayin (guttural) opens; patach; final mem closes

Reflection Questions

  1. Look at words 6 (דָּבָר) and 7 (מֶלֶךְ). Both are common two-syllable nouns. What is the structural difference between them, and how does that difference affect the vowels you would expect in each syllable?
  2. Word 14 is מִשְׁפָּט. The dagesh in the פ is a Dagesh Forte, not a Dagesh Lene. How do you know? What does it tell you about the syllable boundary?
  3. Words 11 (אֲדֹנָי) and 19 (אֶרֶץ) both begin with aleph. Why does אֲדֹנָי have a hateph patach while אֶרֶץ has a plain seghol? What does this tell you about the relationship between guttural behavior and syllable rules?