Babylonian vocalization
The Babylonian vocalization (Hebrew ניקוד בבלי ) is a system of diacritical marks ( Nikud ), with which the Masoretes from Babylon the consonants of the Hebrew Bible texts supplemented to indicate the vowels of spoken Hebrew in Babylon. The Babylonian vocalization is no longer used today, it was supplanted by the Tiberian vocalization.
History
The simple Babylonian vocalization originated in the 6th and 7th centuries, the complex was built later. As an independent dialect of the Babylonian Hebrew for the end of the 9th century is demonstrated. Culminated its use in the 8th and 9th century, when it was spoken of Persia to Yemen. Under the Islamic domination in the 10th century disappeared the main madrasas, and the Babylonian vocalization was supplanted by the Tiberian vocalization. Nevertheless, today's Yemeni Hebrew is considered to be a manifestation of the successor represented by the Babylonian vocalization Babylonian Hebrew.
The Babylonian vocalization was rediscovered in 1839 by the Karaite Jews A. Firkowich when he found a Codex in the synagogue of Cufut Qale who used a hitherto unknown Vokalisationssystem. The text was dated to 916. Other documents were found after Firkowichs death in 1874 in his collection. After 1954 made especially Alejandro Díez Macho by the publication of other manuscripts of Babylonian deserves.
Description
The Babylonian vocalization as the Palestinian Vokalization called superlinear Vokalization because the vowel signs are placed under the consonant letters; in Tiberianischen system, they are, however, also set by this both above. As in the Palestinian vocalization only the most important vowels are called.
It developed two Babylonian systems: an earlier simple (E) and a later complex (K ) system. The following vowel symbols were used in simple system:
The simple system also includes characters that correspond to the Tiberianischen Dagesch Rafe and, even when they are not being used identical. Shva quiescens ( shva close ) is not marked.
The complex system may be divided into a complete and an incomplete system. The former has, unlike the latter, a "special characters for each kind of syllable and uses that inconsistent. " It denotes the vowels aeiu, Konsonantengemination, different vocalic and consonantal א ה and, and denotes shva mobile and quiescens with a sign.
There is also a number of manuscripts which have characteristics of both the Tiberianischen and the Babylonian vocalization. Later Yemeni manuscripts, using either the simple or the complicated system, Yemeni show features such as the confusion of Patah and shva and Tsere and Holam.
Cantillation
The Babylonian system applies the cantillation of similar to the Tiberian system. The oldest manuscripts that use the simple vowels, characterize only separating accents, write the emphasis not on the stressed syllable, featuring Mappiq not while later manuscripts do this.