niqquim

Niqquim is a system of diacritical marks used in Hebrew to represent vowels, which are not part of the standard Hebrew alphabet. The Hebrew alphabet itself consists of consonants, and over time, as Hebrew spread and was used by non-native speakers, the need arose to clarify pronunciation. Niqquim, also known as "nikud" or "vowel points," was developed by scholars, primarily the Masoretes, between the 6th and 10th centuries CE.

The system involves a variety of dots and dashes placed above, below, or within consonant letters. Each symbol corresponds to a specific vowel sound. For example, a dot below a letter often indicates an 'a' sound (patach), while a horizontal line below can represent an 'e' sound (segol). Other common vowel points include the chirik (i sound), holam (o sound), and kubutz (u sound). Niqquim also includes marks for certain consonant pronunciations and dagesh, which indicates gemination or a hard consonant.

While niqquim is essential for reading and understanding ancient Hebrew texts, liturgical poetry, and children's books, it is generally omitted in modern everyday Hebrew writing. This is because native Hebrew speakers can infer vowel sounds from context, and the absence of niqquim allows for a more streamlined and faster reading experience. However, it remains a crucial tool for linguistic accuracy and preservation of traditional Hebrew pronunciation.