Learning-to-Read-Hebrew-v5.dwd

Diphthongs:

Sound of the Diphthong Example of Use in lb©T©

vg¨ UbT§ ÎUS Diphthong

Ahy (in most cases: rhymes with “Hi!”) Oy (clipped O: rarely)

h,¨ Im§ n¦

h ¨ h ©

ht©y¨ j£

Ahy

hIt

hI hU

Oy

1

(hUChr¦)

Ooy

uhJ¨ s¨e¨

uh ¨ However, note:

Ahv ( NOT Oy)

Nota Bene : (i) the difference in the use of the u ( Vahv ) between hIt (vocal) and h,¨ Im§ n¦ (consonantal); and (ii) comparison between the vocal use of the h (Yood) ( mater lectionis tr¨e§n¦ ot¥ ) in the words hIt and hID' and its consonantal use in the words oh¦ID and oh¦Icm§ .

_________________________________ 1 In the case of this diphthong, I am unable to recall a specific instance of its use in the Q"b©T© . This example is taken from Rabbinic Hebrew, and for that reason it is shown in parentheses.