Page:Compendious Syriac Grammar.djvu/70

Rh =  "also" ; still more usual are  "temptation" (from  though somewhat different in signification ["test or trial" 2 Cor. 2. 9]);  as well as  "revelation";  "vegetables" &c. (§ 74).

§ 45. a has frequently become e, e. g. "she killed", from qaṭalath (cf.  "he killed him");  "flesh", from basarā, &c. Here and there the vocalisation fluctuates between a and e: the East-Syrians especially give preference, upon occasion, to the former; e. g. in alaṣ for  "afflicted" (§ 174 A);  for  "foundation";  for  "cavern";  for  "course, run"; and in several others that have a guttural for the middle letter.

A š, immediately followed by another consonant, sometimes occasions e instead of a:, instead of aškaḥ, maškaḥ "find" (§ 164);  "texture", contrasted with  "course";  "feast" (but  the same) overagainst  "chastisement";  "bed",  "service", contrasted with  "covering",  "petition" (but  "narration") : notice farther , ,  (§ 51). Similarly s in "behind", from  +, where according to other analogies ba was to be expected.

§ 46. Within the word an ē has sometimes been produced through the quiescing of a consonantal, as in "well";  or  "head";  "stone", , , or  "right, just" (§ 98 C). In an open syllable ē is, without regard for etymology, expressed freely by, or even not expressed at all (and in the same way the Greek αι and ε are dealt with: thus even (qērsā = ), while in a closed syllable  (or even ) is set down by preference: In later times  is more prevalent; e. g. the old form , becomes later  ne̊fēshā "refreshment, recovery"; and   "harbour" takes later the form , &c.