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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_uhg/src/branch/master/content/particle_definite_article.rst
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.. _particle_definite_article:
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Particle Definite Article
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=========================
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Summary
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-------
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In Biblical Hebrew, the definite article (the prefix הַ) is added to a term either to make that term definite, or to match that
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term to the noun it describes, or both.
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Article
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-------
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The use of the definite article is one of the ways that a word can be made :ref:`definite<definiteness>` in Biblical Hebrew.
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The definite article is not an independent word but the prefix הַ (he with pathah), usually accompanied by a daghesh in the
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next consonant. The definite article normally takes the pathah vowel, but that vowel can shift (usually either lengthening
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to qamets or shortening to seghol) depending on the placement of the accent and/or gutteral consonants within the word.
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The definite article serves an additional function to match a noun, adjective or participle the word it describes.
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The definite article is usually translated as "the" in English. However, the rules governing the definiteness of words vary
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in different languages, so this particle must always be translated according to the conventions of the target language.
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.. note:: The definite article is only rarely found in Hebrew poetry. This
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may have been done for the sake of rhythmic meter, since the article
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almost always adds a syllable to a word. In Hebrew poetry, words can be
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in the determined state even without the definite article. Therefore, in
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Hebrew poetry, often the state (construct, absolute, or determined) of a
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particular word must be determined by the context.
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Form
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----
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.. csv-table:: Standard form, with pathah vowel and daghesh in the following consonant
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:header-rows: 1
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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noun,סוּס,sus,a horse
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noun + definite article,הַסּוּס,hassus,the horse
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.. csv-table:: Alternate form with pathah vowel, no daghesh in gutteral consonant
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:header-rows: 1
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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noun,חֹשֶׁק,hosheq,darkness
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noun + definite article,הַחֹשֶׁק,hahosheq,the darkness
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.. csv-table:: Alternate form with qamets vowel, no daghesh in gutteral consonant
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:header-rows: 1
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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noun,אִישׁ,'ish,a man
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noun + definite article,הָאִישׁ,ha'ish,the man
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.. csv-table:: Alternate form with seghol vowel, no daghesh in gutteral consonant
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:header-rows: 1
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Parsing,Hebrew,Transliteration,Gloss
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noun,עָפָר,'afar,dust
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noun + definite article,הֶעָפָר,he'afar,the dust
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Function
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--------
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Makes a term :ref:`definite<definiteness>`
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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One way that a term can be made definite in Biblical Hebrew is to add the definite article prefix.
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.. csv-table:: Example: DEU 1:23
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וַיִּיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינַ֖י הַדָּבָ֑ר
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wayyitav be'enay **haddavar**
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And-it-seemed-good in-my-eyes **the-thing**
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**The advice** pleased me well
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.. csv-table:: Example: ISA 5:11
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הֹ֛וי מַשְׁכִּימֵ֥י בַבֹּ֖קֶר
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howy mashkime **vabboqer**
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Woe who-rise-up **in-the-morning**
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Woe to those who rise up early **in the morning**
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Matches an :ref:`adjective<adjective>` to a :ref:`noun<noun>`
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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In Biblical Hebrew, when a definite :ref:`common noun<noun_common>` is followed by a definite
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:ref:`attributive adjective<adjective-attributive>`, an :ref:`adjectival participle<participle_active-adjectival>`,
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or a noun in apposition, the definite article on both terms shows that they belong together. In other words,
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that particular adjective is describing that particular noun.
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.. csv-table:: Example: JOS 21:45
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מִכֹּל֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַטֹּ֔וב
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mikkol **haddavar hattowv**
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of-all **the-word the-good**
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among all **the good promises**
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.. csv-table:: Example: DEU 7:19
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הַמַּסֹּ֨ת הַגְּדֹלֹ֜ת אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ
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**hammassoth haggedoloth** 'asher-ra'u 'eneykha
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**the-sufferings the-great** which\_saw your-eyes
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**the great sufferings** that your eyes saw |
