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QIBBUS/SHUREQ

אֻ/אוּ

SHORT BACK CLOSED ROUNDED VOWEL [u]

In unstressed closed syllables, Tiberian Hebrew shureq/qibbuṣ is normally pronounced as a short u-vowel. It is worth noting that this pronunciation generally also applies to the conjunctive vav before במף or shewa.

[u]

אֻ

אוּ

Hidayat al-Qari

The seventh place of articulation is the place of articulation of shureq, which is the lips gathered together (as if for) whistling.

Translation from Khan (TPTBH II.L.2.15.7)

אלמחל אלסאבע מחל אלשרק והו אלשפתין מצ̇מומתין כאלצפיר

Text from Khan (TPTBH II.L.2.15.7)

EXAMPLE WORDS:

יְסבֵּֽנִי

[jasubˈbeːniː]

בֵ֥ין

[wuˈveːen]

מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖י

[maskʰuʀ̟tʰiː]

לֻקַּ֖ח

[luq̟ˈq̟aːaħ]

LONG BACK CLOSED ROUNDED VOWEL []

In stressed and/or open syllables, shureq/qibbuṣ is pronounced as a long vowel [].

[uː]

אֻ

אוּ

(in open or stressed syllable)

Hidayat al-Qari

The total number of vowels is seven: אֹ ,אִ ,אֵ ,אֶ ,אַ ,אָ and אֻ. From within these seven vowels the letters ו ,ה ,א, and י are pronounced. From qameṣ, pataḥ and segol ʾalef and he are pronounced, as in עַמֶּיךָ ,עֲבָדֶיךָ and קָשֶׁה. If the he (in קָשֶׁה) were elided, the segol (by itself) would indicate its existence, just as the qameṣ in עַמְּךָ ,שִׁמְךָ and עֲבָדֶיךָ indicates the existence of ʾalef or he in full orthography ... Qibbuṣ and shureq indicate the existence of vav as in קוּמוּ. So what is pronounced from within the seven vowels are the letters ו ,ה ,א, and י.

Translation from Khan (TPTBH II.S.4.2)

וגמיע אלמלוך סבעה והם א א א א א אֹ א ויכרג מן צ̇מן הדה אלסבעה חרוף אלא̇ו̇י̇ ה יכרג ען אלקמץ ואלפתח ואלתלאתה אלף והא והי מתל עבדיך <עמיך> קָשֶׁה לו חדף אלהא לכאן אלג̇ קד דלת עליה כמא דלת אלקמץ פי <עמך ושמך ועַבָדֶֿיך פי אלמלא עלי אלף או הא>  ... <ואלזֻג ואלנקטה פי קלב אלואו ידלאן עלי אלואו מתל קומו> פצאר אלכארג מן צ̇מן אלמלוך אלסבעה א̇ה̇ו̇י̇

Text from Khan (TPTBH II.S.4.2)

EXAMPLE WORDS:

יִשְׁרְצ֣

[jiʃʀ̟ɑˈsˁ]

ר֨חַ

[ˈʀ̟waħ]

יַקְנִאֻ֖הוּ

[jaq̟niːʔˈħuː]

מְנֻחָה֙

[manˈħɔː]

EXTRA LONG BACK CLOSED ROUNDED VOWEL [uːu]

In a stressed closed syllable, ḥireq is pronounced as an extra long vowel [uːu].

[uːu]

אֻ

אוּ

(in stressed closed syllable)

Hidayat al-Qari

The total number of vowels is seven: אֹ ,אִ ,אֵ ,אֶ ,אַ ,אָ and אֻ. From within these seven vowels the letters ו ,ה ,א, and י are pronounced. From qameṣ, pataḥ and segol ʾalef and he are pronounced, as in עַמֶּיךָ ,עֲבָדֶיךָ and קָשֶׁה. If the he (in קָשֶׁה) were elided, the segol (by itself) would indicate its existence, just as the qameṣ in עַמְּךָ ,שִׁמְךָ and עֲבָדֶיךָ indicates the existence of ʾalef or he in full orthography ... Qibbuṣ and shureq indicate the existence of vav as in קוּמוּ. So what is pronounced from within the seven vowels are the letters ו ,ה ,א, and י.

Translation from Khan (TPTBH II.S.4.2)

וגמיע אלמלוך סבעה והם א א א א א אֹ א ויכרג מן צ̇מן הדה אלסבעה חרוף אלא̇ו̇י̇ ה יכרג ען אלקמץ ואלפתח ואלתלאתה אלף והא והי מתל עבדיך <עמיך> קָשֶׁה לו חדף אלהא לכאן אלג̇ קד דלת עליה כמא דלת אלקמץ פי <עמך ושמך ועַבָדֶֿיך פי אלמלא עלי אלף או הא>  ... <ואלזֻג ואלנקטה פי קלב אלואו ידלאן עלי אלואו מתל קומו> פצאר אלכארג מן צ̇מן אלמלוך אלסבעה א̇ה̇ו̇י̇

Text from Khan (TPTBH II.S.4.2)

EXAMPLE WORDS:

הַמַּבּ֥ל

[hammabˈbuːul]

עָר֔ם

[ʕɔːˈʀ̟uːum]

קֻ֣ם

[ˈq̟uːum]

שֻׁ֣ב

[ˈʃuːuv]

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING

Khan, Geoffrey. 2020. The Tiberian Pronunciation Tradition of Biblical Hebrew. Cambridge: Cambridge and Open Book Publishers. §I.2.

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