TO THE REV. JOHN RICHARDSON MAJOR, D.D., HEAD MASTER OF KING'S COLLEGE SCHOOL, THE FOLLOWING COMPENDIUM, IS INSCRIBED, WITH SINCERE ESTEEM AND RESPECT, BY THE AUTHOR. ADVERTISEMENT. THE following compilation is strictly what it professes to be, "AN INTRODUCTION" to Hebrew Grammar. No language can be acquired by means of a compendium. But experience has taught me, that a large and comprehensive grammar may impede the progress of beginners, especially when the chief part of their time and strength is necessarily devoted to other subjects. For such the following pages may serve as a practical outline. The original intention was that it should not exceed two sheets. But having learned that the study of Hebrew was to be introduced into King's College School, it seemed necessary to add more complete tables. Mr. Duncan obligingly allowed me the use of the stereotype plates of the tables of verbs, reprinted from Gesenius' "Lehrgebaude," by the Rev. Dr. Lee. The larger Grammars recommended for the study of the advanced student are those of the Rev. Dr. Lee, Professor Ewald, and the late Dr. Gesenius. A. McC. то HEBREW GRAMMAR. HEBREW LETTERS. CONSONANTS. THE Hebrew alphabet consists of twenty-two letters, all consonants. §. 1. The six letters ???? (B'gadk'phath) are pronounced with or without an aspiration. The removal of the aspiration is marked by a point in the letter; this point is called Dagesh Lene; a point in is called Mappik, and shows that is sounded as a consonant. §. 2. Five have a different form at the end of words, 7, 0, 1, 7, 7, included in the memorial word y (kamnephetz). §. 3. As the Hebrews do not divide words at the end of the line, an empty space would sometimes remain. This is prevented by enlarging the letter, л, D,, ; memorial .(ahaltem) אֲהַלְתֶּם,word §. 4. The letters 2, 7, 1, ', are called quiescent, because they sometimes lose all sound, except what they derive from the preceding vowel, like our W in flow, throw, &c. quiesces in Kametz, Tsere, Segol, sometimes in Hholem. at the end of words also. in Hholem and Shurek. in Tsere and Hhirik and Segol. |