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© T. Michael W. Halcomb (2010) | MichaelHalcomb.com
• Aramaic texts come from periods separated by approx. 3 centuries beginning with
the 9th century BCE
• According to 2 Kgs. 18.26, Aramaic was known at the end of the 2nd millennium
BCE by high Assyrian & Jewish officials but not commoners. However, by the
second half of the 6th century BCE it was "THE" spoken language of
Mesopotamia
§2. The letters of the Biblical Aramaic alphabet are the same as those of the Hebrew
alphabet and of course, the writing goes from right to left.
• The following may be used as vowel letters: י/ ו/ ה/ א
= אlong a / e
= וlong u / o
= יlong i / e
= הlong e
• Consonant doubling is indicated by a dot placed in the geminated (doubled) letter
• A dot also indicates non-spirantized pronunciation of BeGaDKePhaT letters
• A dot in a final הvowel letter indicates it is to be pronounced as a consonant
• There are 3 known vowel systems: Palestinian, Babylonian and Tiberian
• See my "Aramaic Annotations" 2 - 4 to learn the vowel patterns, points,
pronunciations & transliterations
• Ketib Qere - Words written one way but read another
§3. While אcan be a final vowel letter, it can also be a silent letter. This happens in a
variety of different types of words, for example, when it appears 1) in a final vowelless
position, 2) after a zero or murmured vowel, 3) in the distorted pronunciation of foreign
proper names.