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Journal of Semitic Studies 2004 49(1):1-20; doi:10.1093/jss/49.1.1
© 2004 by University of Manchester
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Final Vowels of Pronominal Suffixes and Independent Personal Pronouns in Semitic+

R. Hasselbach

Cambridge, MA

The final vowels of pronominal suffixes and independent pronouns in Semitic languages have often been reconstructed as anceps for Proto-Semitic since they do not behave like other PS long or short vowels in any of the descendant languages. In this article the author will argue, on the basis of a general investigation of final vowels in Akkadian, Geeacgrz, Arabic, Hebrew and Syriac that it is possible to reconstruct these vowels as short and that exceptions can be explained by analogies and other irregular processes. One major argument for the reconstruction as short is the reflex of the lcs acc. Suffix *-ni, which behaves regularly in all descendant languages, and must have differed from other pronominal suffix vowels concerning its original length. Furthermore, the author suggests that the confusion of vowel lengths in the pronominal suffixes of the 3s in Hebrew, Akkadian and, most likely, Geeacgrz is caused by confusion with the anaphoric pronoun.

+ I would like to sincerely thank Prof. W. Heinrichs and especially Prof. J. Huehnergard for their many suggestions for improving this essay. Thanks also to G.R. Magid for his helpful corrections. Any opinions and errors are, of course, mine alone.


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