Cantillation - Sequences

Sequences

The rules governing the sequence of cantillation marks are as follows.

1. A verse is divided into two half verses, the first ending with, and governed by, etnachta, and the second ending with, and governed by, sof pasuq. A very short verse may have no etnachta and be governed by sof pasuq alone.
2. A half verse may be divided into two or more phrases marked off by second-level disjunctives.
3. A second-level phrase may be divided into two or more sub-phrases marked off by third-level disjunctives.
4. A third-level phrase may be divided into two or more sub-phrases marked off by fourth-level disjunctives.
5. The last subdivision within a phrase must always be constituted by a disjunctive one level down, chosen to fit the disjunctive governing the phrase and called (in the Table below) its "near companion". Thus, a disjunctive may be preceded by a disjunctive of its own or a higher level, or by its near companion, but not by any other disjunctive of a lower level than its own.
6. The other subdivisions within a phrase are constituted by the "default" disjunctive for the next lower level (the "remote companion").
7. Any disjunctive may or may not be preceded by one or more conjunctives, varying with the disjunctive in question.
8. A disjunctive constituting a phrase on its own (i.e. not preceded by either a near companion or a conjunctive) may be substituted by a stronger disjunctive of the same level, called in the Table the "equivalent isolated disjunctive".