The Schwa-Sign

Simple Schwa and Composite Schwa

The Schwa is a double dot under the consonant ( .(ל

Same principle as before: pronounce the consonant and then the Schwa.

The Schwa is the vowel reduced at its strongest; very short sound (somewhat like “the”).

The Schwa can be voiced or silent (see 4.2).

Can also be called the “Simple Schwa” or “Vocal Schwa”

These are also called “Composite Schwas.”

They are combinations of some of the vowel signs and the Schwa sign.

Note that they only occur on the gutturals.

אני ’aní Chatéf-Pátach

אלהים ’älohim Chatéf-Segól

חלי chålí Chatéf-Qámes

Schwa quiescens (Silent Schwa)

Also called “Silent Schwa” (probably what I will be calling it)

This Schwa stands with consonants within the word that do not have vowels that follow.

But here is the confusion:The same sign can be both silent or vocal. So there needs to be some way to distinguish them.

Schwa mobile or Schwa quiescens?

at the beginning of the word

the second of 2 contiguous Schwas

under a consonant with a Dagesh

after a long vowel note the use of the

Meteg (p. 22)

וו תאו לה

רו פ וית (“and they sewed

together”)

פלי םהנ

רץ׃ אתהא ראיתבראאלהיםאתהשויםו ב הום נית חךעל־פ תהתהוובהוו הארץהי ו

ים׃ ניהמ רחפתעל־פ רוחאלהיםו ו ור׃ הי־א היאורוי ויאוראלהיםי

דלאלהים אאלהיםאת־האורכי־טובויב ויר ך׃ ביןהאורוביןהח

לה לחךקראלי ראאלהיםלאוריוםו ויק ד׃פ הי־בקריוםאח הי־ערבוי וי