There are so many ways to spell Hanukkah!Hanukkah?Hanukkah?Carnick?It seems like every year there is a new spelling to choose from, usually on a throw pillow that doesn’t appear to have Jewish input.(Why is there a muffin ball on my Chanuqa garnish?)
Maybe because there are always so many traditions and practices to choose from.Or maybe it’s because we’re trying to convert a word into English from another language that doesn’t use the same letters or even write in the same direction menorah candle holder.
Well, I think it’s time to do something.As we all know, once something is numbered and ranked, it has to be agreed and no one will have any problems.Someone has to have the guts to rank all the Channukka spellings.So, we start:acrylic menorah.
The worst way to spell a name is…the holiday we lit the chanukiyahs (oh no, how do we spell that?) is Channukkah.Or Chanoga.or Karnataka.bad spelling.Those who use too many letters or use strange, alienating monograms.This includes using Q instead of K.Stop adding Ns and Ks where you don’t need it!clam down!
These spellings are offensive and make the holidays seem farther away than they usually feel.If you’re the first to spell Hanica this way, it’s probably for good reason.Watch out for spelling mistakes as they are right there and of course holiday merchandise on sale that totally misunderstands what our holiday is.
Just because something is right doesn’t mean it’s right.The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) uses an X for the Scottish loch or the ch of the Jewish letter chet, which means some people think it’s okay to add an X to the beginning of…our favourite top-based holiday names.Translations (as well as transliterations) should prioritize experience, which is not to say they should get away with accuracy.Calling it Xanukah is disconcerting.Sorry, bad mood.Ḥ is better at least.It’s hard to figure out how to type Ḥannuka, but the spelling does more accurately mimic the feel of Hebrew.
I grew up with Hanukkah or Hanukkah so these must be the right way to spell the name of our oil-filled holiday.ch feels good.K feels good.OK, so the Ch vs H debate can exist.Not everyone can make that scratchy guttural sound with their throat.I do not mind.As long as things continue to work the way I’ve always known it will never change.correct?
Januka.Hanuka.Hanuco.Chanoka.As you explore languages ​​other than English, you’ll find some interesting ways to spell this Jewish holiday, and it’s starting to do what a language is supposed to do: it includes.By seeing the name in a new context, we begin to understand what a Hanokà holiday feels like anywhere in France, Spain, Holland, Madagascar, etc.When you stop trying to fit Chanucá into your box, you open up and see your vacation as not just your vacation – it’s ours.
Happy Horn!That’s what Jewish artist Sophia Zohar wrote on this pillow — better known online by her username Maimonides Nutz (a play named after a 12th-century Jewish philosopher and internet meme).
It features a goose holding a festive candlestick in its beak, inspired by a six-year-old’s greeting card.Zohar’s merchandise also simply reads “honaka (Jewish stuff).”These spellings have no linguistic or traditional basis, but they are an option.They’re a deliberate way of trying to spell the holiday in a way that makes you smile.Turning the name into a joke demystifies centuries of history and welcomes you to make it your own.You can find your own space on vacation.
Ultimately, the best way to transcribe the holidays into the English alphabet is up to you.Even in Hebrew some people can spell it with the letters vav or not.Just like everyone has their own menorah/hanukkah/menorah, why not have everyone have their own spelling?There may be 12 different spellings in your home, from all the different items and decorations available online, but you can choose between an extra N, linguistics, nostalgic spelling, or something else entirely different.Just yours.
BC Wallin is a Jewish author, film buff, and Aish alumnus.His work can be found on sites such as Alma, Polygon, Bright Wall/Dark Room, and Input.He lives in New York with his wife and has more and more books.