Gesenius' Hebrew grammar: 17th ed., with numerous corrections and additions, by dr. E. Rödiger. Tr. by T. J. Conant ... With grammatical exercises and a chrestomathy, by the translator.

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PART I. ELEMENTS.

(tenuis), as b, g, d, k, p, t, and 2) a soft sound uttered with a
gentle aspiration (aspirata). The harder sound is the original.
It is found at the beginning of words and syllables, when there
is no vowel immediately preceding, and it is indicated by a point
in the letter (Daghesh lene), as e b (~ 13). The aspirated
sound occurs after a vowel immediately preceding, and is denoted
in manuscripts by Raphe (~ 14, 2), but in the printed text it is
known by the absence of the Daghesh. In some of these letters
(especially ~) the difference is less perceptible to our ear. The
modern Greeks aspirate distinctly, y,, and the Danes d at
the end of a word. The Greeks have two characters for the two
sounds of the other letters of this class, as 3 x, X X, m Ir, D,
P,T, rn a.
For the cases exactly in which the one pronunciation or the other occurs,
see ~ 21. The modern Jews sound the aspirated: as v, and the n nearly
as 8, e.g. rt't reshis,::n rav.
4. After what has been said, the usual division of the consonants according to the organs of speech employed in uttering
them, will be more intelligible and useful. The common division is as follows:a) Gutturals, r, n, A, N (rn)
b) Palatals, p,:, ~, l (p?.)
c) Linguals, t, r, I, with:, b (b.:. b )
d) Dentals or sibilants,:, X, 0, T (1et)
e) Labials, I,:, ~, 1 (~.a)
The letter ' partakes of the character of both the first and
fourth classes.
The liquids also,,:, i, which have in many respects a
common character, are to be regarded as a separate class.
In the Hebrew, as well as in all the Shemitish dialects, the strength
and harshness of pronunciation, which characterized the earlier periods of
the language, gradually gave way to more soft and feeble sounds. In this
way many nice distinctions of the earlier pronunciation were neglected
and lost.
This appears, 1) in the preference of the softer letters; e. g. p2, p'_
(see ~ 2, 3, Rem.), Syr. pl.; 2) in the pronunciation of the same letter;
ph orf; B as b,: bh as v; a and 5 both as g in go; D and: both as k. If one
wishes to give the aspirated sound of 5 and 3, let him pronounce g and k, rolling
the palate with the same breath.-Ta.