1. Know that most nouns with a quiescent middle letter (ayin) occur with an added mem, vocalized with a qamats, such as maqom, malon, manos. In the construct state and with pronominal suffixes, this qamats properly changes to a sheva, as in maqom → meqomo, malono, menusi, in accordance with the rule for complete forms. For this reason, those who recite in the hymn Adon Olam the phrase “hu nissi u-menusi” with the mem of menusi in qamats are mistaken, for its correct vocalization is menusi with a sheva, as required by the transformation of a qamats to a sheva in pronominal forms. Indeed, we similarly find misgavi and menusi. However, in the metrical structure of that poem this form cannot stand, since a yated (metrical peg) is required there, and a shuruq followed by sheva does not constitute a yated. Therefore, the correct reading must be u-menos li. Yet cantors have grown accustomed to saying “hu nissi u-menusi, manat kosi” in order to preserve the rhyme. When such nouns occur with a feminine he ending, the mem always takes a sheva and is followed by a shuruq, as in meshuva, melukha, mevukha. Likewise, this pattern appears with an added tav at the beginning, as in tequma, teluna. But without a feminine he ending, this pattern never appears with an added mem or tav.

2. And the general rule is this: any noun of this class that you find with an added mem at the beginning, vocalized with a qamats, and which in its four inflectional forms takes either a mem or a tav with sheva, belongs to the class of nouns with a quiescent middle letter (nḥei ʿayin). There are two such nouns that appear with an added tav at the end, namely nofet and bōshet. I have already informed you, in the Third Treatise, Principle Eleven, Section Five, that a tav of this kind appears with a dagesh when pronominal suffixes are attached, as in levashtakha and levōshet. Accordingly, one should likewise say nofeti, noftekha from nofet. There is also one example with an added mem at the end, namely reqem.