one likely to be of any service to the Student. In the grammars of Buxtorf and others of his school, it was customary to give a considerable number of rules on this subject with examples; and then to leave the Student to make his way as well as he could. But, as the analogy of the syllabication and of the forms of words are the only sure guides, little use could be made of those rules, until the Learner had become familiar with these; and, when this was done, the rules themselves were almost useless. In the more elaborate grammars of modern Germany, the analogy is first taught, and then the nouns are divided into a certain number of declensions. This, however, seems to be labour thrown away; for, when the Student is once made acquainted with the general laws of syllabication, and the forms of words, a further classification of these forms must rather tend to confuse than to instruct him. But, supposing this not to be the case, still the labour is multiplied; and, as far as I can see, for no useful purpose.

I have been agreeably surprised to find, upon turning over the Rabbinic grammars of D. Kimkhi and some of those who succeeded him, that under the forms of the nouns, the changes of the vowel-points are in all cases given; which, indeed, had appeared to me the most rational way of proceeding. In conformity with this principle then, it is my intention to proceed to the classification of the nouns, beginning with those termed Segolate, giving at once all that appears to be necessary for the information of the Student, and adding such notes on the different forms as the circumstances of each case may seem to require. Having already given a classification of the forms of the Segolate nouns, we shall now proceed to exemplify them.

On the First Species of Segolate Nouns of the forms TP,

5. The Absolute masculine plurals (Art. 139. 4.) of all Segolate nouns, except those only which have (i) Khōlém for one of their vowels, take the form of ';

feminines take that of . In the first case, there

,מְלָכוֹת and in the feminine ,מְלָכִים fore, we shall have

from the alternate forms (Art. 148. 1.). And, so of all the others, whether of the masculine or feminine gender, with the above exception. The plural form for construction with other nouns, or with any of the inseparable pronouns, will follow the primitive form of these words (Ib. 3.). In the examples given above, we shall have

, and i, for the plural forms of construction. But, and has an, and does not occur in that situation. It should be observed, however, that the Chaldaïc and Syriac forms 7 or TP are to be referred sometimes to one class and sometimes to another, of the Segolate nouns: thus, a is manifestly of the class

כְּסַף but ; כִּתְבֵי the plural in construction being פִּקְדְ

belongs to TP, the plural of construction, no less than the forms found with the pronouns being : as, ape his silver; DD their pieces of silver.

6. The regular forms for the affixed pronouns singular and plural of the first form, are, i, apho, ‘aho, omraka, Daraha, wp, 2, and, by analogy, though not occurring in the text, p, p, &c. So

that the plural of construction,-that used in connection with the pronouns of the second and third persons masculine and feminine plural, will follow the primitive forms of these nouns; in all the other cases, they will follow the alternate form, TR, or TP, due regard being had to the laws of syllabication.

7. It should be remembered, that in every case in which a guttural letter is the second or third of such word, the accompanying or preceding vowel may be (-); as, an arm (Art. 108.). For a list of nouns of this form, see the "Arcanum Formarum" of Simonis, p. 307, &c.

8. It should also be observed, that some Segolate nouns are, in their original forms, of the feminine gender (Art. 135. 5.): and that, generally, words need not receive the termination, as distinctive of that gender, except such as relate to sex.

9. A considerable number of defective words may be referred to the Segolates, of which the following belong to this class in particular: death (prim. P, Art. 108.), which, in construction, or with the pronouns, will take the form (Art. 143. 6.): as, in the death of the child, Gen. xxi. 16. So ini, Anis,

,iniquity עָוֶל ;.c& מוֹתָיו c., and in the plural number& מוֹתָם

fem.

id. and contr. ; an age, generation (prim.

10. Examples with a medial : T (prim. T, Arab. o) hunting, fem. id. (Art. 87. 3.); (prim. n, Arab.

5 C

), in constr. 2, with pron. in', '', &c. (Art. 143. 6.). The plural now in use, viz. ', is evidently derived from some other primitive.

11. Of Nouns doubling the last radical letter: 12 a garden, prim. 22, by (Art. 77.) fem. 2 id. (Ib.). And, with the pro

for בַּכּוֹת .and fem ,בְּכָכִים for בַּמִּים .c. plur. abs& בַּבּוֹ בְּפִי,nouns

, in order perhaps to avoid the too frequent recurrence of the same sound. The form of construction taken by the feminine is , instead of 2, probably for the sake of variety. So pure

(prim. 772 Arab.): fem. 7, for 2 (Art. 109.) purity. In the plur of constr. masc. " for ".

12. With a medial and final :-, prim. form, and, by apocope, (Art. 74.) vanity; fem. Ni destruction. So with prim. form, a valley. In constr. 2, and, by apocope, 2, and in construction, ; pl., and with the light affixes,

,

.thy vallies בִּיאוֹתֶיךָ

13. With a final or :-7 (prim. 1) eternity; so for

IT

(Art. 87. 2.) a bulrush;

14. With a medial :- for

swimming.

(Art. 76.) the nose, anger; with the pronouns, EN, TP, 8, pl. YES, TES, &c.; and in constr. . The absolute form of the plural does not occur: but, in the dual we have, which would have the same form, in construction, and with the pronouns, with those given above.

For further examples of this sort, the Student is referred to the "Arcanum Formarum" of Simonis, sectio v. throughout.

Nouns of this species occur but rarely; and it is doubtful whether the last of these does not more properly belong to the primitive form 7, as we have it with the pronouns,, &c. But, as a proper name (as some think) with the local Shechem, Hos. vi. 9.

we have

towards

pro

In the first example, we have, &c., with the

The absolute form of the plural is here, as before,

does חֲלָקוֹת but ,חֲלָקִים,fem. : as פְּקָדְוֹת masc. and פְּקָדִים

not occur. Son pains; vanity, vanities, and so of others. The pronouns are affixed thus: ip his portion; p my portion; p their portion.

is ban of han, han, &c.

O sin, is with the pronouns in, Don, &c. In the plur. abs. D', constr. : with the pronouns,

.c., and so on& ,חֲטָאֵיכֶם חֲטָאֵינוּ חֲטָאֵי

2. The nouns of this species are numerous. The following are a few examples: Y name of a place;

the forehead;

will, delight; 1 pleasure, also the proper a girdle; fat. But a rod; understanding, acuteness, with some others," after the form : as, his rod; his understanding. From 27, which also occurs of the form, we have thy vestiges, Jer. xiii. 22; and, in construction in the feminine gender nipp: but these may, perhaps, be derived from different primitives.

take the pronouns, &c. in his forehead;

3. The following are a few of the defective nouns, which seem to belong to this species: a fleece; (prim. Art. 77.), fem. 7 for, constr. 2, masc., in constr. cuttings; the cud (prim.); the palate (prim. 2, Art. 76.), with the pronouns 2, 12, D, &c. For further examples, see the "Arcanum Formarum," p. 326, &c.

4. Chaldaïc and Syriac words often occur of the form 7 as
, Heb. form silver; counsel. So, in Hebrew,

instead of 310.

elevation. See the "Arcanum Formarum," pp. 309,

Of the Fourth Species of Segolate Nouns.

151. This, according to our arrangement, will comprehend all primitive nouns of the forms TP, and TR9, but of the latter no examples occur.