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Ancient Hebrew Language and Alphabet

Ancient Hebrew Language and Alphabet

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Appendix A – <strong>Alphabet</strong> Reconstruction<br />

was !s / sin, meaning thorn, <strong>and</strong> later was divided into the<br />

samech <strong>and</strong> !f / sin (which then became associated with<br />

the !v / shin).<br />

Phonetic (sound): The original sound for this letter must<br />

be an "s" to which the samech <strong>and</strong> sin both agree. The<br />

Greek sound for the letter is "ks", similar to the "s".<br />

Ghan<br />

Pictographic (form): The <strong>Ancient</strong> picture is , an eye.<br />

Mnemonic (meaning): Watch, Pay attention, Heed -- as<br />

keeping a close eye on something; Cover -- as a shading<br />

of the eyes to remove the glare of the sun; Furrow --<br />

formed between the eyes from squinting; Affliction,<br />

Worry, Poor, Humble -- one with a furrow between the<br />

eyes; Occupation -- one paying attention to the task;<br />

Abode -- as a place carefully watched; Spring, Source --<br />

the eye of the l<strong>and</strong>scape; Ostrich, Owl -- a bird that<br />

watches<br />

Syllabic (name): The Modern <strong>Hebrew</strong> name for this<br />

letter is ayin. Arabic has two names for this letter, ayin<br />

<strong>and</strong> ghayin. The Greek name is "Omicron" (a definite<br />

name change by the Greeks).<br />

Phonetic (sound): This letter is silent in Modern <strong>Hebrew</strong>.<br />

Arabic has two forms, the ayin, which is silent, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

ghayin with a "gh" 45 sound. The Egyptian hieratic<br />

45 Pronounced as an "ng" as in "ring".<br />

64

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