The pronunciation tag has no wiki summary.
6
votes
1answer
124 views
“Hayom yom X b'shabas” or “bashabas”?
A sidur I used this morning had the introductory line of the shir shel yom as "hayom yom sheni b'shabas". When I checked the two sidurim I trust the most for excatitude in these matters, one had ...
5
votes
2answers
83 views
TOras chayim or ToRAS chayim in 19th b'racha?
In the final b'racha of sh'monah esrei the phrase "תורת חיים - (Toras chayim)" appears. In some sidurim [that denote that kind of thing] the accent is placed on the first syllable and in others on the ...
10
votes
2answers
227 views
Meaning and pronunciation of יישר כחך
What is the exact meaning of the phrase "יישר כחך", and what is the gramatically-correct way to pronounce it?
10
votes
3answers
368 views
Disparity between male and female pronunciation of Cholam
In many Yeshivish communities in the US, the male segment of the population vocalizes the cholam as "oi," while their female counterparts vocalize it as a long "o". How did this come about? Does the ...
7
votes
2answers
165 views
Why do many (most?) people call the upcoming holiday “Peysach”?
In some Ashkenazic dialects, lots of words in which the first syllable is accented and the vowel is segol are pronounced as though they had a tzeirei. Examples include "meylech," "tzeydek," and ...
8
votes
1answer
223 views
A Lubavitch custom of reciting zecher and zeicher in “Ashrei”?
My cousin, a Lubavitcher, says both zecher and zeicher (that is, both זֶכֶר with a segol and זֵכֶר with a tzeire) in "Ashrei". I noticed this when I visited him a good few years ago, and assumed it ...
10
votes
38answers
1k views
words often mispronounced [closed]
What are some words commonly mispronounced? (Not by elision/reduction (like ה׳→אדְני) or assimilation (like תזכרו→תשׂכרו), but rather words that are pronounced wrong ...
7
votes
2answers
275 views
מרדכי = Mord'chi?
When learning with Jews of the Syrian community, I noticed that they pronounced מרדכי (the name of the halachic commentary on the g'mara) as "mord'chi", as if the final vowel were a chirik. Why is ...
4
votes
1answer
151 views
Was Pharoh's daughter named Basya or Bisya?
Was Pharoh's daughter named Basya or Bisya? Sources please!
6
votes
1answer
296 views
מֶה, מָה, מַה - Meh, Mah, Ma - What's the difference?
What causes the difference in vowelization of the Hebrew word for "what"? In some contexts it is מֶה, in others - מָה, and in yet others - מַה. The hypothesis that an acquaintance and I converged on ...
8
votes
1answer
202 views
Why shin and sin?
Why does Hebrew use the same letter to represent two different sounds: shin and sin? As far as I know, with the exception of when using a dagesh kal, no other Hebrew letter has this property.
11
votes
6answers
301 views
5
votes
3answers
283 views
Silent aleph (no, I mean really silent)
Please explain what is going on with the letter aleph in certain places in Tanakh (e.g. the second to last word of Devarim 3:12, the first word of Tehilim 34:10) where the aleph contributes neither a ...
8
votes
2answers
334 views
Relationship between Samekh and Sin
What is the relationship between the letters samekh and sin? Did they ever have distinct sounds? Why do they exist as separate letters?
3
votes
7answers
377 views
Hebrew Pronunciation of the Conservative Movement
Why does the Conservative Movement pronounce Hebrew in a quasi-Sephardic pronunciation, even though their engagement in Wissenschaft Des Judentums would have led them to embrace the Yemenite ...
1
vote
2answers
108 views
Midrash/Medrash
Can anyone explain to me the difference between Midrash and Medrash? Is one of them known to be more correct (i.e. most likely older)?
3
votes
2answers
85 views
Why refer to alcoholic beverages as Yash?
In many Chasidishe and Heimishe Shuls - Vodka, Whiskey and the likes are known as "Yash" which is an acronym for Yayin Saraf - יי״ש. However would it not be more appropiate to call it Yas? Then why do ...
4
votes
2answers
134 views
Is it “mechayei meisim UHTTuh” or “mechayeh meisim atTUH” (rav lehoshia) in shmoneh esrei?
I've seen both pronunciations (at the beginning of the second bracha in shmoneh esrei):
Aleph-patach, tav-kuhmuhtz, heh (implied stress on second syllable)
Aleph-kuhmuhtz-meseg, tav-kuhmuhtz, heh ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
Is it “Vay-SHA-vucha” or “Va-YASH-vucha” in Anim Zemiros?
Is it "Vay-SHA-vucha" or "Va-YASH-vucha" in Anim Zemiros? I've heard both, and seen both in different siddurim. Any insight?
3
votes
2answers
69 views
L'chayim vs. Lachayim
During the עשרת ימי תשובה we make insertions into the שמונה עשרה, each of which contains the word לחיים, meaning "for life."
What is the source for insisting on pronouncing it "zachrenu l'chayim," ...
3
votes
1answer
97 views
How do you pronounce the הוי״ה in hataras nedarim (annulment of vows) before Rosh HaShanah?
In the siddurs I've seen, we ask for annulment for vows made "with the name הוי״ה ". That word is left unvowelized. How is it pronounced?
5
votes
2answers
388 views
Pronunciation of משנה הלכות
Are R' Menashe Klein's volumes of responsa pronounced "Mishna Halachos" or "Mishaneh Halachos"? Can someone provide the grammatical explanation please?
6
votes
3answers
180 views
רָקִיאַע or רָקִיַע
The מנחת שי at the beginning of בראשית (on "יהי רקיע") cites a מחלוקת whether the word 'רָקִיעַ' (and likewise for other words with a פתח גנובה) is pronounced as רָקִיאַע or as רָקִיַע, that is, with ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Schwa+Heh Pronunciation
How should a heh with a schwa under it be pronounced in an intermediate position in a word? E.g. פדהאל, or נהדר
6
votes
1answer
432 views
Why so many vocalized shvas in Siddur Tehillat Hashem?
I prayed using a Siddur Tehillat Hashem the other day, and I noticed that many more shvas were marked with an asterisk above, indicating that they should be vocalized, than I'd expect. In particular, ...
4
votes
4answers
527 views
Did Rav Moshe Feinstein pronounce his last name “Feinstain” or “Feinsteen”?
And, as a follow-up, does having the answer to this question dictate how we should say it?
6
votes
1answer
479 views
Different traditions in Hebrew pronunciation
The theme of Hebrew pronunciation is one that facinates me and, as such, I want to get some feedback on some issues I've been thinking about for years. I have already discussed some of these issues ...
