Closely associated with the vowel points are the reading signs, which were likely introduced around the same time. These signs guide pronunciation and nuance in reading Hebrew consonants.
There are two main types of diacritical signs:
- Dot Above the Letter ש: Distinguishes between שׁ (with dot on the right, pronounced sh) and שׂ (with dot on the left, pronounced s).
- Dot Inside a Consonant: This indicates the consonant has a stronger or more emphasized pronunciation.
On the other hand, a horizontal stroke placed above a consonant—known as Rāphè—serves to indicate that the consonant does not have the stronger pronunciation. It is essentially the counterpart of the strengthening point.
Types of Internal Dots and Their Functions
- Dageš Forte: Indicates that the consonant is doubled or strengthened in pronunciation.
- Dageš Lene: Signifies a harder pronunciation of certain consonants, particularly the begadkephat letters.
- Mappîq: Ensures that certain letters are read as consonants rather than mater lectionis (vowel letters). Most commonly found in the letter ה at the end of a word to indicate it should be pronounced.
The Rāphè (רָפֵה)
The Rāphè is a thin horizontal stroke written above a consonant. Its function is to explicitly mark the absence of a Dageš or Mappîq, thereby signifying that the consonant is to be pronounced softly or not strengthened.
However, the use of the Rāphè has almost completely disappeared from printed Hebrew texts. Its relevance today is largely historical or for manuscript study.
