second syllable; cf. § 84a a), in the form of a pretonic Qameṣ, whilst the short vowel of the first syllable becomes vocal Šewâ. The original a of the 2nd syllable is elided in the construct state, so that the short vowel under the first radical then stands in a closed syllable. The omission of Dageš in a following Begadkephath (מַלְכֵי, not מַלְכֵּי, &c.) is due to the loss of a vowel between ל and כ. On the other hand, the pretonic Qames of the absolute state is retained before the light plural suffixes, whilst the grave suffixes are added to the form of the construct state.—The ending of the absolute state of the dual is added, as a rule, to the ground-form (so in a–d and h, but cf. k). The construct state of the dual is generally the same as that of the plural, except, of course, in cases like m.
[e] Paradigms g and h exhibit forms with middle u and i (§ 84a c, γ and δ); the ground forms maut and zait are always contracted to môth, zêth, except in the absol. sing., where u and i are changed into the corresponding consonants ו and י.
Paradigm i exhibits one of the numerous forms in which the contraction of a middle u or i has already taken place in the absol. sing. (ground-form šauṭ).
Paradigm k is a formation from a stem ל״ה (§ 84a c, ε).
[f] Paradigms l, m, n are forms from stems ע״ע, and hence (see § 67 a) originally biliteral, yam, ʾim, ḥuq, with the regular lengthening to יָם, אֵם, חֹק. Before formative additions a sharpening, as in the inflexion of verbs ע״ע, takes place in the second radical, e.g. אִמִּי, יַמִּים, &c. (see § 84a c, β).
Remarks.
[g] 1. A. On I. a and d (ground-form qaṭl). In pause the full lengthening to ā generally takes place, thus כָּ֫רֶם vineyard, נָ֫עַר, זָ֫רַע seed (from זֶ֫רַע), and so always (except ψ 48), in אֶ֫רֶץ earth with the article, הָאָ֫רֶץ, according to § 35 o (cf. also in the LXX the forms Ἀβέλ, Ἰαφέθ for הֶ֫בֶל, יֶ֫פֶת). However, the form with è is also sometimes found in pause, along with that in ā, e.g. חֶ֫סֶד together with חָ֫סֶד; and very frequently only the form with Seghôl, e.g. מֶ֫לֶךְ, דֶּ֫שֶׁא grass, נֶ֫צַח perpetuity, פֶּ֫לֶא a wonder, צֶ֫דֶק righteousness, קֶ֫דֶם the East, יֶ֫שַׁע help, &c.—With two Seghôls, although with a middle guttural, we find לֶ֫חֶם bread (in pause לָ֫חֶם) and רֶ֫חֶם womb (in pause רָ֫חֶם), besides רַ֫חַם Ju 5 (in pause רָ֫חַם). A helping Seghôl always stands before a final א, as דֶּ֫שֶׁא, טֶ֫נֶא (with suff. טַנְאֲךָ), פֶּ֫לֶא, פֶּ֫רֶא (also written פֶּ֫רֶה), except in גַּיְא, see v.
[h] B. The constr. st. is almost always the same as the absolute. Sometimes, however, under the influence of a final guttural or ר, Pathaḥ appears in the second syllable as the principal vowel (see below, § 93 s), e.g. גְּבַר ψ 18; זְרַע
