Notes on the noun patterns in the Yemenite tradition of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic

The Yemenite reading tradition of the Babylonian Talmud has been regarded by some authorities (e.g. S. Morag) as providing a reliable source for the vocalization of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. The present study considers the Yemenite vocalization of nominal forms in the light of manuscript evidence and comparative material and suggests that in many cases, the Yemenite tradition does not preserve the historical forms. The article cncludes with a detailed examination of interchanges between the gentilic and nomen agentis forms in Babylonian Aramaic sources.