HEBREW INSTITUTION

Annotation

can be called a sign. It signifies beyond certain letters, to be brought forth to be pronounced with one sound or another, multiplicatively, sometimes with a strong and increased sound, sometimes with a weak and thin one. And it is threefold, namely, Dagesh, Raphe, Simol, and Iamin. Dagesh דגש is a single point occupying the belly of a letter, signaling that it should be pronounced strongly and, as it were, fourfold, as if it were a doubled letter. All letters are capable of this, except for the four gutturals אהחע are gutturals and the letter Res. Res ...

Raphe רפה is a small stroke hanging over the top of a letter, signaling that it is to be sounded thinly. Only six letters are capable of this, namely the sign is twofold ב ג ד כ פ ת. The first, namely ב, acts as a consonant 'v'; ג as 'gh'; ד as a slightly muttering 'd'; כ as 'ch'; פ as 'ph'; ת as 'f' (lisping) or sounds like the Greek θ.

Namely that if they are marked with a small Dagesh point: ב sounds as 'b'; ג as 'g'; ד as 'd'; כ as 'c'; פ as 'p'; ת as 't'. In which case, however, these six letters [are used] with a Dagesh point or a Raphe stroke...