BOOK ONE

...makes a sha sound that is oblique Reuchlin uses "oblique" to describe vowel sounds that are not "pure" or "rectus," often indicating a more relaxed or modified pronunciation and foaming. The second syllable, Lamed with a Patach vowel, makes a direct la; if a Chet is added to it, there will be a strong aspiration, producing a panting lah. Combine the individual parts and it becomes Shelach.

[שֶׁלַח] Shelach, a descendant of Shem has two syllables. The first, Ayin with a Tsere vowel, makes a direct "e" in the back of the throat, because Ayin is a guttural letter. The second, Bet with a Raphe indicating a softened pronunciation and a Segol vowel, produces an Aeolic digamma a Greek letter representing a "w" or "v" sound and an oblique "e," which is ve. If the letter Resh sounds with it, it becomes ver. Combine the parts and it becomes Ever.

[פֶּלֶג] Peleg, whose name means "division" has two syllables. The first is Pe with a Segol, an oblique pe. It is pronounced as a hard p and not as ph or f, because the letter Pe has a Dagesh point a dot placed inside a letter to indicate it should be doubled or hardened in its belly. The second, Lamed with Segol, makes le. If Gimel sounds with it, it will be leg. Combine the parts and it becomes Peleg.

[רְעוּ] Reu, another ancestor in the line of Abraham has two syllables. The first, Resh with a Sheva, mutters a re with a very brief snort original: "roncho," describing a nasal or vibrating throat sound. The second, Ayin and Vav with Shureq, makes an improper diphthong "u," as seen above in chapter five. Truly, because when a vowel follows a consonant under which a Sheva is written, then the Sheva is always pronounced. Therefore, the Sheva has a voice, albeit a tiny one. Combine the parts and it becomes Reu.

Our Latin Bible reads this name as Ragau. For Saint Jerome was often accustomed to placing a "g" before the letter Ayin, which is a guttural, to show that a movement of the throat or the palate must precede the vowel of the Ayin. He did this in the word Gomorra in Genesis 19, which is written in Hebrew as Amorah [עֲמֹרָה]. He also did this in the measure called a Gomer in Exodus 16, which is written as Omer [עֹמֶר], and so it is with others. You will do best, student, if you do not forget this rule.

[שְׂרוּג] Serug, great-grandfather of Abraham has two syllables. The first, a Sin on the left—that is, a sharp whistling sound—with a Sheva, makes a sudden se. For the Sheva is not silent here, but is pronounced according to the rule in the previous chapter, which says: "In other cases where letters are not connected, both in first and middle syllables, the Sheva is not silent but mutters." The second syllable, Resh and Vav with Shureq, makes ru. If Gimel (that is, "g") sounds with it, it will be rug. Combine the parts and it becomes Serug.

[נָחוֹר] Nachor, Abraham's grandfather has two syllables. The first, Nun with a Qamets vowel, makes an oblique na. The second, Chet and Vav with a Cholem vowel, which point signifies...