Friday 25 December 2015

hebrew - Why "מִי וָמִי" instead of "מִי וּמִי"?


I have always thought that as a general rule, the vav conjunctive prefix is usually a "וְ". But, when the word being "prefixed" either starts with a shva or starts with a "lip-letter" (בומ"פ), the vav changes to a "וּ" (kubutz).


However, I have come across a few of exceptions to the above rule, only one of which I actually remember at the moment. (Other examples are welcome as comments or as part of an answer.)


The exception I can think of right now is Exod. 10:8: "מִי וָמִי הַהֹלְכִים", in which I would think it should be "מִי וּמִי הַהֹלְכִים".



Why is it not "מִי וּמִי"? Is my above rule wrong or missing something, or is this just a particular exception, and if so, why?



Answer



According to Gesenius, you are mostly right. Usually, a vov will take a shuruk when preceding a labial consonant, as well as when preceding a simple shva. The exception seems to be when the vov is right before the accent, and the word is at the end of a clause, sentence, or group of nouns.


From Wikisource:



(e) Immediately before the tone-syllable [the Waw] frequently takes Qameṣ, like בְּ‎, כְּ‍‎, לְ‎ (see §102f), but in most cases only at the end of a sentence or clause (but cf. also וָכֹא‎ 1 K 2230), e.g. וָמֵ֖ת‎ Ex 2112 (on the other hand, in verse 20 וּמֵ֖תִ‎ is in closer logical connexion with what follows); 2 K 74 וָמַ֣הְנוּ שָׁ֔ם‎, וָמַ֑תָנוּ‎ and וָמָֽתְנוּ‎; Ru 33 וָסַֹכְתְּ‎; [Ps] 1015 וָ֝רָֹע‎; 1 S 94 וָאַ֔יִן‎; 2 S 1326 וָלֹ֔א‎; Ez 479 וָחָ֔י‎; cf. also (with Ṭiphḥa) Gn 3313, 2 S 1512. The very frequent connexion of nouns expressing kindred ideas, by means of וָ‎, is due simply to considerations of rhythm, for even in such cases the Wāw must immediately precede the tone-syllable, which must be marked by a disjunctive accent, e.g. תֹּ֫הוּ וָבֹ֫הוּ‎ Gn 12, יוֹם וָלַ֫יְלָה‎ Gn 822 (see also the previous examples); Gn 1314 (thrice); Ex 253 זָהָב נָכֶ֫סֶף‎; [Ps] 967 כָּבוֹד וָעֹז‎; [Ps] 767 וְרֶ֫כֶב וָסוּס‎; Gn 713 וְשֵׁם־וְחָם וָיֶ֫פֶת‎; נֹחַ‎ 1 K 2110 כֹּה וָכֹה ;אֱלֹהִים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ‎ thus and thus; Est 18 אִישׁ־וָאִֽישׁ‎ at the end of the verse, but in [Ps] 875 אִישׁ וְאִישׁ‎ in spite of the Deḥi with the second אִישׁ‎, because it is closely connected with the following predicate. Also with three words פַּ֫חַד וָפַ֫חַת וָפָ֑ה‎ Is 2417. [...]



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