Zeire
Encyclopedia
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Romanization of Hebrew
Hebrew uses the Hebrew alphabet with optional vowel points. The romanization of Hebrew is the use of the Latin alphabet to transliterate Hebrew words....
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Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, tel. The two dots is a Zeire.
Zeire (also spelled Tsere, Tzeirei, Zere, Ṣerî, Ṣerê etc.; , sometimes צירה) is a Hebrew
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
niqqud vowel
Vowel
In phonetics, a vowel is a sound in spoken language, such as English ah! or oh! , pronounced with an open vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure at any point above the glottis. This contrasts with consonants, such as English sh! , where there is a constriction or closure at some...
sign represented by two dots "ֵ" underneath a letter. In modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....
, it indicates the phoneme
Phoneme
In a language or dialect, a phoneme is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances....
/e/ which is the same as the "e" sound in sell and is transliterated
Romanization of Hebrew
Hebrew uses the Hebrew alphabet with optional vowel points. The romanization of Hebrew is the use of the Latin alphabet to transliterate Hebrew words....
as an "e". In modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew
Modern Hebrew , also known as Israeli Hebrew or Modern Israeli Hebrew, is the language spoken in Israel and in some Jewish communities worldwide, from the early 20th century to the present....
, a Zeire makes the same sound as a segol.
Usage
Zeire is usually written in these cases:- In final stressed closed syllables: מַחְשֵׁב ([maħˈʃev], computer), סִפֵּר ([sipˈpeʁ], he told; without niqqud סיפר). Also in final syllables closed by guttural letters with an added furtive patach: מַטְבֵּעַ ([matˈbeaʕ], coin), שוֹכֵחַ ([ʃoˈχeaħ], forgetting). Notable exceptions to this rule are:
- The personal suffixes ־תֶם ([tem], 2 pl. m.), ־תֶן ([ten], 2 pl. f.), ־כֶם ([χem], 2 pl. m.), ־כֶן ([χen], 2 pl. f.), ־הֶם ([hem], 3 pl. m.), ־הֶן ([hen], 3 pl. f.) are written with segol. (But the words הֵם ([hem], they m.), הֵן ([hen], they f.) are written with Zeire.)
- The words אֱמֶת ([eˈmet], truth), בַּרְזֶל ([baʁˈzel], iron), גַּרְזֶן ([ɡaʁˈzen], axe), כַּרְמֶל ([kaʁˈmel], CarmelCarmelCarmel in the Bible refers to two distinct places:* Mount Carmel, coastal mountain range in Israel overlooking the Mediterranean Sea* Carmel , an ancient Israelite town in Judea...
, gardenland), עֲרָפֶל ([ʕaʁaˈfel], fog) are written with segol. - The word בֵּן ([ben], son) is written with Zeire in the absolute state, but with segol in the construct state: בֶּן־. In the Bible this rule also applies to other words which end in Zeire, when they are written with maqaf.
- In non-final, unstressed open syllables: עֵנָב ([ʕeˈnav], grape), תֵּבָה ([teˈva], chest, ark; without niqqud תיבה).
- In the first (stressed) syllable of about 70 segolateSegolateSegolates are words in the Hebrew language whose end is of the form CVCVC, where the penultimate vowel receives syllable stress. Such words are called "segolates" because the final unstressed vowel is typically segol...
words, among them חֵלֶק ([ˈħeleq], part), סֵפֶר ([ˈsefeʁ], book), עֵדֶן ([ˈʕeden], EdenEdenEden may refer to:* Garden of Eden, a place described in the biblical book of Genesis-Film and television:* Eden , a character from the Aladdin television series...
). In other – much more numerous – segolate words the first [e] sound is a segol. - In final open syllables, when the mater lectionisMater lectionisIn the spelling of Hebrew and some other Semitic languages, matres lectionis , refers to the use of certain consonants to indicate a vowel. The letters that do this in Hebrew are aleph, he, waw and yod...
is yodYodA yod is a rare astrological aspect involving any celestial body of astrological importance. In astrology a yod is said to form whenever one planet forms quincunxes to another two planets that are separated by only a sextile . If each point of the yod were traced across an astrological chart it...
(י) or alephAleph* Aleph or Alef is the first letter of the Semitic abjads descended from Proto-Canaanite, Arabic alphabet, Phoenician alphabet, Hebrew alphabet, Syriac alphabet-People:*Aleph , an Italo disco artist and alias of Dave Rodgers...
(א): בְּנֵי־ ([bəne], sons of), מוֹצֵא ([moˈtse], finding). When the mater lectionis is heHe (letter)He is the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets, including Phoenician , Aramaic, Hebrew , Syriac and Arabic . Its sound value is a voiceless glottal fricative ....
(ה), the vowel sign is usually segol, but Zeire is written in the imperative and absolute infinitive forms of the verb, in nouns in construct state, and in the base form of several other nouns (see below for details).
In declination Zeire sometimes changes to other vowels or to shva
Shva
Shva or, in Biblical Hebrew, Sh'wa is a Hebrew niqqud vowel sign written as two vertical dots "ְ" underneath a letter. In Modern Hebrew, it indicates either the phoneme or the complete absence of a vowel , whereas in Hebrew prescriptive linguistics, four grammatical entities are differentiated:...
. The full rules for these changes were formulated the Academy of the Hebrew Language.
In modern Hebrew there are words which are homophone
Homophone
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose and rose , or differently, such as carat, caret, and carrot, or to, two, and too. Homophones that are spelled the same are also both homographs and homonyms...
s and homograph
Homograph
A homograph is a word or a group of words that share the same written form but have different meanings. When spoken, the meanings may be distinguished by different pronunciations, in which case the words are also heteronyms. Words with the same writing and pronunciation A homograph (from the ,...
s in spelling without niqqud, but are written differently with niqqud, the difference being segol and Zeire. For example, עֶרֶב evening and עֵרֶב weft
Weft
In weaving, weft or woof is the yarn which is drawn through the warp yarns to create cloth. In North America, it is sometimes referred to as the "fill" or the "filling yarn"....
are both pronounced [ˈʕeʁev] and written ערב without niqqud (these words also have different etymology).
Writing Zeire with and without matres lectionis
Zeire can be written with and without matres lectionis. The most prominent mater lectionis for Zeire is YodYod
A yod is a rare astrological aspect involving any celestial body of astrological importance. In astrology a yod is said to form whenever one planet forms quincunxes to another two planets that are separated by only a sextile . If each point of the yod were traced across an astrological chart it...
(י), and in some cases it is used with the letters aleph
Aleph
* Aleph or Alef is the first letter of the Semitic abjads descended from Proto-Canaanite, Arabic alphabet, Phoenician alphabet, Hebrew alphabet, Syriac alphabet-People:*Aleph , an Italo disco artist and alias of Dave Rodgers...
(א) and he
He (letter)
He is the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets, including Phoenician , Aramaic, Hebrew , Syriac and Arabic . Its sound value is a voiceless glottal fricative ....
(ה).
Standard spelling rules mandate only one way to spell every word with or without the Yod after Zeire. Although in standard modern pronunciation the sound of Zeire with or without the Yod is the same, it may change the word's meaning in a written text (see below).
Standard usage without Yod
Zeire can be written by itself without mater lectionis, in which case it is called Zeire haser ("lacking Zeire"), for example in the word זֵר ([zeʁ], wreath). In this case, in text without niqqud the vowel [e] is usually not written at all: זר. This word can be also vocalized as זָר ([zaʁ], stranger) and the reader has to guess the right pronunciation according to the context. According to the standardized Hebrew spelling the letter Yod is sometimes written in texts without niqqud, when there is a grammatical reason for it; for example, the verb תֵּעָדֵר ([teʕaˈdeʁ], she will be absent) is written without Yod in texts with niqqud, but the Yod is written in a text without niqqud: תיעדר.Standard usage with Yod
Zeire with Yod is called "full Zeire". When a full Zeire is written in text with niqqud, the letter Yod must be written in text without niqqud. The main cases for writing the Zeire with Yod are these:- Zeire is written with Yod to indicate the plural number of declined words, for example מוּצָרֵנוּ means our product and מוּצָרֵינוּ means our products; the standard pronunciation is the same: [mutsaˈʁenu].
- Zeire is written with Yod in words in which the Yod is a part of the root:
- Nouns, for example בֵּיצָה ([beˈtsa], egg), root ב־י־צ; זֵיתִים ([zeˈtim], olives, the plural of זַיִת), root ז־י־ת, מֵידָע ([meˈdaʕ], information), root י־ד־ע. Zeire is also traditionally written with Yod in several other words, the roots of which are rarely used productively to form other words, among them פְּסֵיפָס ([pəseˈfas], mosaic), קֵיסָם ([qeˈsam], sliver) and the word Zeire itself – צֵירֵי ([tseˈʁe]).
- Verbs, in which the last letter of the root is he (ל״ה), which is by convention treated as interchangeable with Yod, for example נִבְנֵית ([nivˈnet], being built f.), root ב־נ־ה (or ב־נ־י). In Arabic the corresponding verbs are written with ʾalif maqṣūra, which represents a similar interchange of the letters yāʾ (ي) and [[ʾalif]] (ا).
- Some verbs in which the first letter of the root is Yod (פ״י), for example הֵיטִיב ([heˈtiv], he did well), root י־ט־ב.
- In standard spelling without niqqud Yod is written to represent the [e] sound in words formed in the pattern heCCeC (הֶקְטֵל), in which the first and the second consonants of the root merge, even though the vowel there is not Zeire, but seggol, for example הֶשֵּׂג ([hesˈseɡ], achievement; root נ־שׂ־ג, without niqqud הישג).
Nonstandard usage of Yod to represent Zeire
In texts with full niqqud – mostly poetry, religious and children books – Zeire is usually written in accordance to the rules mandated by the Academy. The Academy defined some cases in which a Yod is added to texts without niqqud to signify an [e] sound, but in common usage Yod is often written or not written contrary to the standard.Some notable common deviations from the standard in which a Yod is added include:
- Some words are often written with Yod in texts without niqqud, even though the Yod is not a part of of the root and is not written in a text with niqqud. For example: מֵמַד ([meˈmad], dimension), מֵרַב ([meˈʁav], Merab, most), שֵׂעָר ([seˈʕaʁ], hair) are often written מימד, מירב and שיער, even though the standard spelling without niqqud is ממד, מרב, שער. This goes further as the Yod is retained in declined forms of the word, which aren't written with Zeire at all, but with shva; for example, the word שְׂעָרוֹת ([seʕaˈʁot], hairs) is frequently written שיערות, although the vowel of the ש is shva (the standard spelling is שערות).
- Words in the pattern CəCeCa (קְטֵלָה) are often written with a Yod, even though it is not the standard. Examples include בְּרֵכָה ([bəʁeˈχa], pool), גְּנֵבָה ([ɡəneˈva], theft), שְׂרֵפָה ([səʁeˈfa], burning), which are often written בריכה, גניבה, שריפה instead of the standard ברכה, גנבה, שרפה.
- Yod is often added in texts without niqqud to represent Zeire in the future tense of verbs in which Yod is the first letter of the root, for example יֵשֵׁב ([yeˈʃev], he will sit) is often written יישב, although the standard spelling is ישב. This spelling may also be vocalized יָשַׁב ([yaˈʃav], he sat), but adding a Yod doesn't solve the ambiguity – יישב may be vocalized יְיַשֵׁב ([yeˈyaʃev], he will settle) and יִשֵׁב ([yiˈʃev], he settled). Because of the many potential ambiguities, the Academy suggests adding vocalization in such cases.
- Several other (non-comprehensive) examples:
- The standard spelling of the plural form of the word פְּרִי ([pəʁi], fruit) is פֵּרוֹת ([peʁot]) with niqqud and פרות without niqqud, but it is often written פירות (פרות may also mean פָּרוֹת [paˈʁot] cows).
- The words אֵזוֹר ([eˈzoʁ], zone), הֵפֶךְ ([ˈhefeχ], contrary; also הֶפֶךְ), תֵּכֶף ([ˈteχef], immediately; also תֶּכֶף) are sometimes spelled איזור, היפך, תיכף, although the standard spelling without niqqud is אזור, הפך, תכף. (In the Even-ShoshanEven-Shoshan DictionaryThe Hebrew dictionary by Avraham Even-Shoshan, commonly known as the Even-Shoshan dictionary, was first published as "מילון חדש" , later as "המילון החדש" , and finally as "מילון אבן-שושן" The Hebrew dictionary by Avraham Even-Shoshan, commonly known as the Even-Shoshan dictionary, was first...
dictionary תיכף refers to תֶּכֶף; in the Rav-Millim dictionary it is the main entry.)
Some notable common deviations from the standard in which a Yod is not written include:
- According to the modern spelling rules, the Academy mandates writing a Yod in some cases in which the vowel [i] changes to [e] for grammatical reasons. (Not writing the Yod is correct according to the old ktiv haser spelling.) For example:
- In the future, imperative and infinitive forms of verbs in binyan nif'al, the vowel of the prefix is usually [i], which in standard spelling without niqqud is written with a Yod: לְהִזָּהֵר ([ləhizzaˈheʁ], to be cautious), standard spelling without niqqud: להיזהר. This vowel changes to [e] before the guttural letters א, ה, ח, ע, ר: לְהֵרָדֵם ([ləheʁaˈdem], to fall asleep), standard spelling without niqqud: להירדם. Sometimes, however, verbs with both [i] and [e] are written without a Yod in texts without niqqud: להזהר, להרדם.
- In nouns of the pattern CiCCuC, such as סִפּוּק ([sipˈpuq], satisfaction, without niqqud סיפוק) the vowel [i] also changes to [e] before guttural letters: פֵּרוּשׁ ([peˈʁuʃ], commentary), תֵּאוּר ([teˈʔuʁ], description), without niqqud: פירוש, תיאור, but sometimes פרוש, תאור.
- The Yod is sometimes omitted from words, the last letter of whose root is ה. This is a mistake, because in these verbs the Yod is written in texts with niqqud. For example: הוֹדֵיתִי ([hoˈdeti], I thanked, root י־ד־ה), נֶהֱנֵינוּ ([neheˈnenu], we enjoyed, root ה־נ־ה) are sometimes incorrectly spelled הודתי, נהננו.
Zeire with aleph and he
The letter aleph (א) is the mater lectionis after Zeire in the middle or the end of the word when it is a part of the root: מוֹצֵא ([moˈtse], finding m.), מוֹצֵאת ([moˈtset], finding f.).The letter he (ה) is very rarely used as a mater lectionis for [e] in the middle of the word. The notable example for this is the word יְפֵהפִיָּה ([jəfefiˈja], pretty), in which the two last letters of the root (י־פ־ה) are reduplicated
Reduplication
Reduplication in linguistics is a morphological process in which the root or stem of a word is repeated exactly or with a slight change....
. It can also be spelled יפה־פיה (fem.; so in the Bible) or יפיפיה.
The letter he (ה) is often used as a mater lectionis for the vowel [e] in the end of the word, but the niqqud is usually segol. It is Zeire in these cases:
- In the construct state of nouns: absolute state שָׂדֶה ([saˈde], field), but construct state שְׂדֵה־ ([səde]).
- In the imperative and absolute infinitive forms of the verb: future form יְגַלֶּה ([jəɡalˈle], he will discover), but גַּלֵּה ([ɡalˈle], discover!); future form תַּרְבֶּה ([taʁˈbe], she shall increase, make many), absolute infinitive הַרְבֵּה ([haʁˈbe], many).
- In some words, among them אַיֵּה ([ajˈje], where?), אַרְיֵה ([aʁˈje], lion), הִנֵּה ([hinˈne], here!), יָשְׁפֵה ([jaʃəˈfe], jasper; also יָשְׁפֶה), ־עֶשְׂרֵה ([ʕesˈʁe], -teen f.).
Pronunciation
The following table contains the pronunciationPronunciation
Pronunciation refers to the way a word or a language is spoken, or the manner in which someone utters a word. If one is said to have "correct pronunciation", then it refers to both within a particular dialect....
and transliteration
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
of the different Zeires in reconstructed historical forms and dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s using the International Phonetic Alphabet. The pronunciation in IPA is above and the transliteration is below.
The letters Bet "ב" used in this table are only for demonstration. Any letter can be used.
| Symbol | Name | | Pronunciation | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Israeli | | Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Hebrew Ashkenazi Hebrew , is the pronunciation system for Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew favored for liturgical use by Ashkenazi Jewish practice. Its phonology was influenced by languages with which it came into contact, such as Yiddish, German, and various Slavic languages... |
| Sephardi Sephardi Hebrew language Sephardi Hebrew is the pronunciation system for Biblical Hebrew favored for liturgical use by Sephardi Jewish practice... |
| Yemenite Yemenite Hebrew language Yemenite Hebrew , also referred to as Temani Hebrew , is the pronunciation system for Biblical and liturgical Hebrew traditionally used by Yemenite Jews. Yemenite Jews brought their language to Israel through immigration. Their first organized immigration to the region began in 1882.It is believed... |
| Tiberian Tiberian Hebrew Tiberian Hebrew is the extinct canonical pronunciation of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh and related documents in the Roman Empire. This traditional medieval pronunciation was committed to writing by Masoretic scholars based in the Jewish community of Tiberias , in the form of the Tiberian vocalization... |
| Reconstructed | |||||||
| Mishnaic | Biblical | |||||||||||
| Zeire | [e] | ? | ? | ? | [eː] | ? | ? | |||||
| , ה, | Zeire Male | [e] | ? | ? | ? | [eː] | ? | ? | ||||
In Modern Hebrew zeire – with or without a following yod – may be pronounced as [ej] and transliterated as "ei or "ey". Such pronunciation and transliteration of zeire are not correct in the normative pronunciation and not consistent in the spoken language.
Unicode encoding
| Glyph | Unicode | Name |
|---|
| U+05B5 | HEBREW POINT TSERE |