Hebrew
In Hebrew grammar, the construct state is known as smikhut (סמיכות, lit. "support" (the noun), "adjacency"). Simply put, smikhut consists of combining two nouns, often with the second noun combined with the definite article, to create a third noun.
- בַית — /ˈbajit/ — "(a) house"
- הבַית — /ha-ˈbajit/ — "the house"
- בֵית — /be(j)t/ — "house-of"
- ספר — /ˈsefer/ — "(a) book"
- בֵית ספר — /be(j)t ˈsefer/ — "(a) school" (literally "house(-of) book")
- בֵית הספר — /be(j)t ha-ˈsefer/ — "the school" (formal; literally "house(-of) the book")
- הבֵית ספר — /ha-be(j)t-ˈsefer/ — "the school" (colloquial, high-grade cohesion (bet-sefer as a single lexical unit); literally "the house(-of) book")
- עוגה — /ʕuˈɡa/ — "cake" (feminine)
- גבינה — /ɡviˈna/ — "cheese"
- עוגת גבינה — /ʕuˈɡat ɡviˈna/ — "cheesecake"
- דיבור — /diˈbur/ — "speech" (an example of a noun for which the smikhut-form is identical to the regular form)
- חופש — /ˈħofeʃ/ — "freedom"
- חופש הדיבור — /ˈħofeʃ ha-diˈbur/ — "freedom of speech" (literally "freedom(-of) the speech")
Read more about this topic: Construct State
Famous quotes containing the word hebrew:
“The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”
—Bible: Hebrew Proverbs 16:31.
“Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalms 149:5-9.
“And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalms 78:66.