Hebrew Nuggets is an article series that introduces beginners to Hebrew letters, Hebrew vocabulary and spiritual insights from the Hebrew tradition.
Revised: 23-Aug-2015
The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet is בּ (bet). When there is a dot in the middle of the letter, as here in the word אבּא, it is pronounced like the “b” in “boy.” When there is no dot (ב), it is pronounced as a “v”—in which case it is called vet.
Pronunciation and Spelling
The Greeks had no “v” sound. Consequently, they transcribed the Hebrew vet with one β (beta)—the Greek letter which represents the “b” sound. Then, in order to distinguish the vet from the bet, they were obliged to transcribe the bet using two betas. It is doubtful, however, that the vet was ever pronounced in ancient Hebrew as a “b” sound. It seems likely that this spelling was simply a result of the absence in Greek of a letter with a “v” sound.
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