Ch4 Noun Identification Drill — BBA Nouns: Absolute State

Basics of Biblical Aramaic, Van Pelt — Chapter 4

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Instructions

For each Aramaic noun form below, identify:

1. Gender — masculine (m.) or feminine (f.)
2. Number — singular (s.), plural (pl.), or dual (du.)
3. State — absolute (abs.), determined (det.), or construct (cstr.)
4. Root / Lexical Form — the dictionary entry (singular absolute) this form derives from

All forms in this drill are in the absolute state. Every form is drawn from the Chapter 4 vocabulary list or is a regular inflection of a Chapter 4 noun.

Reminder — Aramaic absolute-state endings: - Masculine singular: no ending (unmarked) - Feminine singular: ָה- - Masculine plural: ִין- - Feminine plural: ָן-

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Items 1–20

#	Form	Gender	Number	State	Root / Lexical Form
1	נוּר
2	חֵיוָה
3	רָזִין
4	עִדָּן
5	פְּשַׁר
6	חֵיוָן
7	זְמָן
8	טְעֵמִין
9	אַתּוּן
10	שָׁלְטָן
11	עִדָּנִין
12	גֹּב
13	פְּשָׁרִין
14	חֲסַף
15	זְמָנִין
16	רָז
17	גּוֹא
18	שָׁלְטָנִין
19	טְעֵם
20	נוּרִין

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Answer Key

#	Form	Gender	Number	State	Root / Lexical Form	Notes
1	נוּר	m.	s.	abs.	נוּר	Masculine singular; no ending; fire
2	חֵיוָה	f.	s.	abs.	חֵיוָה	Feminine singular marked by ָה-; animal, beast
3	רָזִין	m.	pl.	abs.	רָז	Masculine plural ִין-; secrets, mysteries
4	עִדָּן	m.	s.	abs.	עִדָּן	Masculine singular; no ending; time, moment
5	פְּשַׁר	m.	s.	abs.	פְּשַׁר	Masculine singular; no ending; interpretation
6	חֵיוָן	f.	pl.	abs.	חֵיוָה	Feminine plural ָן-; animals, beasts; stem חֵיוָ- + ָן
7	זְמָן	m.	s.	abs.	זְמָן	Masculine singular; no ending; time, a fixed time
8	טְעֵמִין	m.	pl.	abs.	טְעֵם	Masculine plural ִין-; commands, decrees
9	אַתּוּן	m.	s.	abs.	אַתּוּן	Masculine singular; no ending; furnace
10	שָׁלְטָן	m.	s.	abs.	שָׁלְטָן	Masculine singular; no ending; dominion
11	עִדָּנִין	m.	pl.	abs.	עִדָּן	Masculine plural ִין-; times, moments; frequently in Daniel
12	גֹּב	m.	s.	abs.	גֹּב	Masculine singular; no ending; pit, den
13	פְּשָׁרִין	m.	pl.	abs.	פְּשַׁר	Masculine plural ִין-; note stem vowel change: patach → qamets in open syllable
14	חֲסַף	m.	s.	abs.	חֲסַף	Masculine singular; no ending; guttural ח takes hateph patach; clay, pottery
15	זְמָנִין	m.	pl.	abs.	זְמָן	Masculine plural ִין-; times
16	רָז	m.	s.	abs.	רָז	Masculine singular; no ending; secret, mystery
17	גּוֹא	m.	s.	abs.	גּוֹא	Masculine singular; no ending; midst, middle; also spelled גּוֹ
18	שָׁלְטָנִין	m.	pl.	abs.	שָׁלְטָן	Masculine plural ִין-; dominions, powers
19	טְעֵם	m.	s.	abs.	טְעֵם	Masculine singular; no ending; understanding, command, decree
20	נוּרִין	m.	pl.	abs.	נוּר	Masculine plural ִין-; fires; in Daniel, נוּרָא (det.) is far more common than this abs. pl. form

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Reflection Questions

1. Items 2 and 6 (חֵיוָה and חֵיוָן) are related forms. What one feature tells you that חֵיוָה is singular and חֵיוָן is plural? How would you distinguish these two forms from the determined (emphatic) state forms that will be introduced in Chapter 5?

2. Every masculine singular absolute in this drill (items 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19) has no ending. How do you determine that these forms are in the absolute state rather than the determined state? What will distinguish them from the determined state in Chapter 5?

3. Compare items 5 and 13: פְּשַׁר (singular) and פְּשָׁרִין (plural). The second-syllable vowel changed from patach (ַ) to qamets (ָ). Using what you know about syllable structure and stress, explain why this vowel change occurs when the ִין- plural ending is added.