The Fifth Principle: On the elucidation of the noun patterns of the remaining vowel classes in general.

1. Know that nouns whose first vowel is shuruq are few, such as minnim and ʿugav (“strings and pipe,” Ps. 150:4), ʿagil and kumaz (Num. 31:50). With ḥatef qamats there is only a single example, namely maʿaseh yedei ʾoman (“the work of the hands of a craftsman,” Song 7:2). Thus there remains for me to explain only pataḥ, ḥiriq, and the “three-point” patterns. I will give you one general rule sufficient for all of them, namely: since these three are small vowels, it is proper that a dagesh follow them, as will be explained to you in the chapter on prosody, Song Five. Therefore, nouns with a doubled consonant do not change, such as ʾabbir (“mighty”), kabbir (“great”), gannav (“thief”), and sullam (“ladder”). Thus in the construct state one says ʾabbir ha-roʿim (“the mighty of the shepherds,” 1 Sam. 21:8), kabbir koaḥ (“great in power,” Job 36:5), and with pronominal suffixes ʾabbiro, kabiro. There are, however, a few exceptional cases that do undergo change.

2. Know that nouns whose first vowel is sheva never have that sheva change, such as devash (“honey”), gevir (“lord”), zeʾev (“wolf”), ḥamor (“donkey”), and gevul (“boundary”). As for what is found in “I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey” (Song of Songs 5:1), they say that it belongs to a different pattern, just as there are found, in all noun patterns, forms that depart from their general class. I will speak further about these in my introduction to the book Sefer ha-Harkavah.

3. Know also that the vowel following an initial sheva does not change except when it is a qamats, as in ketav (“writing”), yaqar (“precious”), and the like. I have already explained, in the Second Principle, Section Two, the manner in which qamats changes. And when these forms come into the plural construct state, the initial sheva changes to a ḥiriq, as in kitvei and yiqrei. The reason for this I will explain in the next principle.