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Rh Syrians employ in this case partly, partly especially in more recent times; and this use of the linea occultans is followed in the most of our impressions. But commonly in MSS. such a sign is altogether wanting.

In contrast with the use of the upper line, the under line is made use of, especially with the Nestorians, to denote a fuller vocalisation, that is to say when a vowel is inserted in order to avoid harshness, e. g.  =  for  "wisdom"  &c. So also =  for  they ask.

§ 18. The oldest interpunctuation, which is frequently retained even in later times, consists of a single strongly marked point after larger or smaller divisions of the sentence, for which, in the case of large paragraphs, a stronger sign, or the like, appears. But even in very ancient manuscripts a system of interpunctuation is found, of a more or less formed character. Later, alongside of the chief point, the main distinction made is between "the under point"  , "the upper point"  , and "the equal points"  ,—to indicate different clauses of the sentence of greater or less importance. To some extent other signs also are used for this purpose. The tests of the usage are not clear, and the practice is very fluctuating, at least on the part of copyists.

§ 19. In order to signify with accuracy, whether,—in the recitation of the sacred text in worship,—the individual words of a sentence should be associated with more or with less connection,—and also what relative tone befits each word,—a complicated system of "Accents" was employed in Syriac as well as in Hebrew. This system however appears only in manuscripts of the Bible, and in a grammatical point of view it is of very slender importance. In isolated cases, signs taken from this