Palestinian vocalization
Encyclopedia
The Palestinian vocalization (or Palestinian pointing, Palestinian niqqud, Hebrew: ניקוד ארץ ישראל) is a system of diacritics devised by the Masoretes
to add to the consonantal Masoretic text
of the Hebrew Bible
to indicate vowel quality, reflecting the Hebrew of Palestine. The Palestinian system is no longer in use, having been supplanted by the Tiberian vocalization
system.
, discovered at the end of the 19th century, although scholars had already known of the existence of a "Palestinian pointing" from the Mahzor Vitry. In particular, the Palestinian piyyut
im generally make up the most ancient of the texts found, the earliest of which date to the 8th or 9th centuries; these predate most of the known Palestinian biblical fragments.
, only the most important vowels are indicated. The Palestinian vocalization along with the Babylonian vocalization
are known as the superlinear vocalizations because they place the vowel graphemes above the consonant letters, rather than both above and below as in the Tiberian system.
Different manuscripts show significant systematic variations in vocalization. There is a general progression towards a more differentiated vowel system closer to that of Tiberian Hebrew
over time. The earliest manuscripts use just six graphemes, reflecting a pronunciation similar to contemporary Sephardi Hebrew:
The most commonly-occurring Palestinian system uses seven graphemes, reflecting later vowel differentiation in the direction of Tiberian Hebrew:
Even so, most Palestinian manuscripts show interchanges between qamatz and patah, and between tzere and segol. Shva is marked in multiple ways.
graphemes used in a manner closer to the Palestinian system. The most widely accepted term for this vocalization system is the Palestino-Tiberian vocalization. This system originated in the east, most likely in Palestine. It spread to central Europe by the middle of the twelfth century in modified form, often used by Ashkenazi scribes due to its greater affinity with old Ashkenazi Hebrew
than the Tiberian system. For a period of time both were used in biblical and liturgical texts, but by the middle of the fourteenth century it had ceased being used in favor of the Tiberian system.
Masoretes
The Masoretes were groups of mostly Karaite scribes and scholars working between the 7th and 11th centuries, based primarily in present-day Israel in the cities of Tiberias and Jerusalem, as well as in Iraq...
to add to the consonantal Masoretic text
Masoretic Text
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible and is regarded as Judaism's official version of the Tanakh. While the Masoretic Text defines the books of the Jewish canon, it also defines the precise letter-text of these biblical books, with their vocalization and...
of the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
to indicate vowel quality, reflecting the Hebrew of Palestine. The Palestinian system is no longer in use, having been supplanted by the Tiberian vocalization
Tiberian vocalization
The Tiberian vocalization is a system of diacritics devised by the Masoretes to add to the consonantal Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible; this system soon became used to vocalize other texts as well...
system.
History
The Palestinian vocalization reflects the Hebrew of Palestine of at least the seventh century CE. A common view among scholars is that the Palestinian system preceded the Tiberian system, but later came under the latter's influence and became more similar to the Tiberian tradition of the Ben-Asher school. All known examples of the Palestinian vocalization come from the Cairo GenizaCairo Geniza
The Cairo Geniza is a collection of almost 280,000 Jewish manuscript fragments found in the Genizah or storeroom of the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Fustat, presently Old Cairo, Egypt. Some additional fragments were found in the Basatin cemetery east of Old Cairo, and the collection includes a number of...
, discovered at the end of the 19th century, although scholars had already known of the existence of a "Palestinian pointing" from the Mahzor Vitry. In particular, the Palestinian piyyut
Piyyut
A piyyut or piyut is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services. Piyyutim have been written since Temple times...
im generally make up the most ancient of the texts found, the earliest of which date to the 8th or 9th centuries; these predate most of the known Palestinian biblical fragments.
Description
As in the Babylonian vocalizationBabylonian vocalization
The Babylonian vocalization is a system of diacritics devised by the Masoretes to add to the consonantal Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible to indicate vowel quality, reflecting the Hebrew of Babylon...
, only the most important vowels are indicated. The Palestinian vocalization along with the Babylonian vocalization
Babylonian vocalization
The Babylonian vocalization is a system of diacritics devised by the Masoretes to add to the consonantal Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible to indicate vowel quality, reflecting the Hebrew of Babylon...
are known as the superlinear vocalizations because they place the vowel graphemes above the consonant letters, rather than both above and below as in the Tiberian system.
Different manuscripts show significant systematic variations in vocalization. There is a general progression towards a more differentiated vowel system closer to that of Tiberian Hebrew
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...
over time. The earliest manuscripts use just six graphemes, reflecting a pronunciation similar to contemporary Sephardi Hebrew:
| niqqud with ב | ??? | |||||
| Tiberian analogue |
patah, qamatz |
segol, tzere |
hiriq | holam | qubutz, shuruq |
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:... |
| value | /a/ | /e/ | /i/ | /o/ | /u/ | /ə/ |
The most commonly-occurring Palestinian system uses seven graphemes, reflecting later vowel differentiation in the direction of Tiberian Hebrew:
| niqqud with ב | |||||||
| Tiberian analogue |
patah | qamatz | segol | tzere | hiriq | holam | qubutz, shuruq |
| value | /a/ | /ɔ/ | /ɛ/ | /e/ | /i/ | /o/ | /u/ |
Even so, most Palestinian manuscripts show interchanges between qamatz and patah, and between tzere and segol. Shva is marked in multiple ways.
Palestino-Tiberian vocalization
Some manuscripts are vocalized with the TiberianTiberian vocalization
The Tiberian vocalization is a system of diacritics devised by the Masoretes to add to the consonantal Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible; this system soon became used to vocalize other texts as well...
graphemes used in a manner closer to the Palestinian system. The most widely accepted term for this vocalization system is the Palestino-Tiberian vocalization. This system originated in the east, most likely in Palestine. It spread to central Europe by the middle of the twelfth century in modified form, often used by Ashkenazi scribes due to its greater affinity with old Ashkenazi Hebrew
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...
than the Tiberian system. For a period of time both were used in biblical and liturgical texts, but by the middle of the fourteenth century it had ceased being used in favor of the Tiberian system.