Lesson 3

Heth (ܚ), Teth (ܛ), Yodh (ܝ), Rwaha (ܘܿ), Rwasa (ܘܼ), Hwasa (ܝܼ)

ܚ
H̱eth (ẖ)
The eighth letter of the alap-beth, ẖeth is pronounced as a "guttural H." It is pronounced similar to the English H, but it is a fricative pronounced in the back of the throat. H̱eth continues the writing line to the following letter.
ܛ
Ṯeth (ṯ)
The ninth letter of the alap-beth, ṯeth is pronounced as a "guttural T." It is pronounced similar to the English T, but it is a fricative pronounced by using the roof of the mouth rather than the teeth like the English T. Ṯeth continues the writing line to the following letter.
ܝ
Yodh (y)
The tenth letter of alap-beth, yodh is pronounced identically to the English "Y," such as in the word "you." Yodh continues the writing line to the following letter.
ܘܿ
Rwaẖa (o)
The fifth vowel of alap-beth, rwaẖa is pronounced identically to the English "long O," such as in the word "open." Unlike the first four vowels, rwaẖa cannot be placed on any consonant, rather it consists of a dot that can only be placed on top of waw (ܘ), Rwaẖa does not continue the writing line to the following letter.
ܘܼ
Rwas̲a (oo)
The sixth vowel of alap-beth, rwas̲a is pronounced identically to the English "oo," such as in the word "boot." Unlike the first four vowels, rwas̲a cannot be placed on any consonant, rather it consists of a dot that can only be placed below waw (ܘ), Rwas̲a does not continue the writing line to the following letter.
ܝܼ
H̱was̲a (ee)
The final vowel of alap-beth, ẖwas̲a is pronounced identically to the English "long E," such as in the word "beet." Unlike the first four vowels, ẖwas̲a cannot be placed on any consonant, rather it consists of a dot that can only be placed below yodh (ܝ), H̱was̲a does continue the writing line to the following letter.

Practice

A. Read the following aloud to practice the sounds of consonants and vowels, check the English transliteration at the bottom of the page for the answers.

ܐ. ܘܿ، ܘܿ، ܘܿ، ܘܼ، ܘܼ، ܘܼ، ܝܼ، ܝܼ، ܝܼ

ܒ.ܚ، ܚ، ܚ، ܚܘܿ، ܚܘܿ، ܚܘܿ، ܚܘܼ، ܚܘܼ، ܚܘܼ

ܓ. ܛ، ܛ، ܛ، ܛܝܼ، ܛܝܼ، ܛܝܼ، ܛܘܿ، ܛܘܿ، ܛܘܿ

ܕ. ܝ، ܝ، ܝ، ܝܘܼ، ܝܘܼ، ܝܘܼ، ܝܝܼ، ܝܝܼ، ܝܝܼ

B. Read the following aloud to practice reading real words in Chaldean, check the English transliteration at the bottom of
the page for the answers.

ܐ. ܛܸ ܒܵܐ: ܛܸܒܵܐ

ܒ. ܚܲ ܛܵ ܝܵܐ: ܚܲܛܵܝܵܐ

ܓ. ܓܘܼ ܕܵܐ: ܓܘܼܕܵܐ

ܕ. ܓܘܿ ܙܵܐ: ܓܘܿܙܵܐ

ܗ. ܚܘܼ ܘܵܐ: ܚܘܼܘܵܐ

Answers

A. 

  1. o, o, o, oo, oo, oo, ee, ee, ee
  2. h, h, h, ho, ho, ho, hoo, hoo ,hoo
  3. t, t, t, tee, tee, tee, to ,to to
  4. y, y, y, yoo, yoo, yoo, yee, yee, yee

B. 

  1. ti ba: tiba (news)
  2. ha ta ya: hataya (sinner)
  3. goo da: gooda (wall)
  4. go za: goza (walnut)
  5. hoo wa: hoowa (snake)