feminine singular participle (הולכת vs. הולכה etc.)

[shamsuddin]

Hello

Sometimes the feminine singular of a participle is like a segolate ending. Like הולכת. But sometimes הולכה.

holexet
holxa

And same for other binyanim: medaberet medabra and mazmenet mazmina

How do you decide to use which one?

Thanks so much

 

[Ali Smith]

According to a footnote in Joüon-Muraoka (see attachment), the segholate form is more common when the participle is being used as a verb, while the form with final -ā is more common when it's being used as an adjective, be it substantivized or not.

 

[Drink]

They cite someone by the name of Lambert, but produce no examples. I wonder if Lambert gives any examples, if you would like to follow the citation trail.

But I have not witnessed such a phenomenon, which makes it very dubious.

 

[amikama]

It has nothing to do with the participle being used as a verb or an adjective or "substantivized" or whatever.

In all binyanim except Hif'il the form ending in ־ת is the "default" one while the form ending in ־ה is considered literary or high register (or doesn't exist). In Hif'il it's the other way around.

The forms in ־ה (or ־ת in Hif'il) are found mostly in poetry, for example:
הִיא יוֹשְׁבָה לַחַלּוֹן
וְשׂוֹרְקָה שְׂעָרָהּ
(Bialik)

Or in set expressions, especially in high register:
אין ידו מַשֶּׂגֶת = he can't afford it (because he's poor)
עד כמה שידיעתי מַגַּעַת = as far as I know
זכוכית מַגְדֶּלֶת = magnifying glass

More info: קוֹרֵאת וקוֹרְאָה – צורת הבינונית בפועלי ל"א - האקדמיה ללשון העברית

 

[גולם]

It has nothing to do with the participle being used as a verb or an adjective or "substantivized" or whatever.

In all binyanim except Hif'il the form ending in ־ת is the "default" one while the form ending in ־ה is considered literary or high register (or doesn't exist). In Hif'il it's the other way around.

The forms in ־ה (or ־ת in Hif'il) are found mostly in poetry, for example:
הִיא יוֹשְׁבָה לַחַלּוֹן
וְשׂוֹרְקָה שְׂעָרָהּ
(Bialik)

Or in set expressions, especially in high register:
אין ידו מַשֶּׂגֶת = he can't afford it (because he's poor)
עד כמה שידיעתי מַגַּעַת = as far as I know
זכוכית מַגְדֶּלֶת = magnifying glass

More info: קוֹרֵאת וקוֹרְאָה – צורת הבינונית בפועלי ל"א - האקדמיה ללשון העברית

Then why do Israelis say בן זונה?

 

[Drink]

Then why do Israelis say בן זונה?

Can you elaborate on what's confusing you?

 

[גולם]

It didn't add ־ת to make it a feminine singular participle.

 

[Drink]

Roots with silent ה at the end work completely differently.