Hebraization of English
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about". Script error: No such module "Unsubst". The Hebraization of English (or Hebraicization)[1][2] is the use of the Hebrew alphabet to write English. Because Hebrew uses an abjad, it can render English words in multiple ways. There are many uses for hebraization, which serve as a useful tool for Israeli learners of English by indicating the pronunciation of unfamiliar letters. An example would be the English name spelled "Timothy", which can be Hebraized as "Script error: No such module "Lang"." in the Hebrew alphabet.
Table
Consonants
For full spelling, when a reader is likely to err in the reading of a word, the use of niqqud or partial niqqud is recommended. This is especially true when writing foreign words, unfamiliar words, ambiguous words, or words that take a dagesh.
| Single letters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Variations | Hebrew | English Examples | IPA |
| a | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| b | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />בּ (Bet) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ב) | but, web | b |
| c | Hard C | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ק (Kuf) | cat, kid, unique | k |
| Soft C | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ס (Samekh), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׂ (Sin) (sin not normally used for transliterations) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ש) |
city, center, facade | s | |
| d | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ד (Dalet) | do, David | d |
| e | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| f | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פ ף (Fe) | fool, leaf | f |
| g | Hard G | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ג (Gimel) | go, get, beg | ɡ |
| Soft G | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ג׳ (Gimel with geresh) | gym, joy, module | dʒ | |
| French soft G | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ז׳ (Zayin with geresh) | seizure, massage, vision, equation, déjà vu | ʒ | |
| h | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ה (He) | hen | h |
| j | Affricative J | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ג׳ (Gimel with geresh) | job, gentle, education | dʒ |
| Fricative J | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ז׳ (Zayin with geresh) | Jacques, genre, déjà vu | ʒ | |
| k | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ק (Kuf), |
car, keep, skill | k |
| l | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ל (Lamed) | like, cool | l |
| m | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />מ ם (Mem) | man, mom | m |
| n | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נ ן (Nun) | nice, tan | n |
| o | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| p | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פּ (Pe) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />פ) | pen, spin, tip | p |
| q | Q followed by U | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קְו (Kuf-Vav) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קוו) | quick, quite | kw |
| Q not followed by U | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ק (Kuf), |
tranq, sheqels | k | |
| r | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ר (Reish) | royal, brighter | ɹ,ɚ |
| s | Voiceless S | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ס (Samekh), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׂ (Sin) (sin not normally used for transliterations) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ש) |
smile, rocks, caesar | s |
| Voiced S (Z sound) | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ז (Zayin) | rose, doɡs, tubs | z | |
| Voiceless postalveolar S (SH sound) | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁ (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ש) | sure, suɡar, ocean, caution | ʃ | |
| Voiced postalveolar S | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ז׳ (Zayin with geresh) | pleasure, vision | ʒ | |
| t | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ט (Tet), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ת (Tav) (tav not normally used for transliterations) |
two, sting, bet, walked | t |
| u | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| v | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ו (Vav) (at beginning of a word or in the middle, when not next to a vav acting as a vowel [/o/ or /u/]) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וו: Vav is doubled in the middle of a word but not at the beginning except if initial affix letter except "and" prefix), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ב (Vet) (at end of a word or in the middle, when next to a vav acting as a vowel [/o/ or /u/]) |
voice, live, of | v |
| w | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ו (Vav) (transliterated as a 'v' sound, but often pronounced with 'w' sound though prior knowledge), (full spelling: follows rule for Vav above) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ו׳ (Vav with geresh) (non-standard (indicates 'w' sound), and not used in general transliterations) |
we, kuala, persuasion | w |
| y | Consonant | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />י (Yud) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יי: Yud is doubled in the middle of a word for Script error: No such module "IPA". but not at the beginning or after affix letters) | yes, fjord, eureka, onion | j |
| Vowel | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |||
| x | Z sound | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ז (Zayin) | xylophone, xerox, xeno | z |
| KS sound | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />קְס (Kuf-Samekh) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כְּס (Kaph-Samekh) full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כס |
fox, text, exit | ks | |
| EX sound | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֶקְס (Aleph with segol-Kuf with sh'va-Samekh) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אקס) | X-ray, X’s and O’s | e̞ks | |
| z | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ז (Zayin) | zebra, realize | z |
| Multiple letters | ||||
| Letters | Variations | Hebrew | English Examples | IPA |
| ng | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />נג (Nun-Gimel), | thank, anger, song | ŋ |
| ch | Normal CH | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />צ׳ (Tsadi with geresh) | chair, nature, cello | tʃ |
| K sound | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כ ך (Chaph) (transliterated as an Template:ErrorTemplate:Category handler (like German CH below), because a 'ch' making a 'k' sound is from the Greek letter Chi which also makes the /x/ sound.), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ק (Kuf) (indicates 'k' sound, only used for a direct transliteration) |
chaos, character, psychology | k | |
| German CH | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ח (Het) (at beginning of a word), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />כ ך (Chaph) (usually in the middle of a word, always at end of a word) |
Scottish loch, chanukah | χ | |
| th | Voiceless dental fricative |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ת (Tav) (transliterated as a 't' sound), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ת׳ (Tav with geresh) (more accurate (indicates 'th' sound), but not used in general transliterations) |
thing, teeth | t~θ~s |
| Voiced dental fricative |
<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ד (Dalet) (transliterated as a 'd' sound), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ד׳ (Dalet with geresh) (more accurate (indicates 'th' sound), but not used in general transliterations) |
this, breathe, father | d~ð~z | |
| sh | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />שׁ (Shin) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ש) | she, flash, chef, crotchet | ʃ |
| ts | none | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />צ ץ (Tsadi), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תס (Tav-Samekh) (tav-samekh not normally used for transliterations) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תשׂ (Tav-Sin) (tav-sin not normally used for transliterations) (full spelling <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />תש) |
pizza, pretzel, tsunami, hats | ts |
Final letters
Five letters in Hebrew, Nun, Mem, Tsadi, Pe/Fe, and Kaf, all have final or sofit (Hebrew: סוֹפִית sofit) forms. That means, that the letters' appearances change when they are at the end of words from כ, פ, צ, מ, נ to ך, ף, ץ, ם, ן respectively. Final forms are used in transliteration when appropriate, with the exception of foreign words ending in a [p] sound, which retain the non-final form of פ, such as "קטשופ" ("ketchup"), as the word with a normal final form would be pronounced "ketchuph".
Vowels and diphthongs
Since vowels are not consistent in English, they are more difficult to transliterate into other languages. Sometimes they are just transcribed by the actual English letter, and other times by its actual pronunciation (which also varies). For the most accurate transliteration, below is a table describing the different vowel sounds and their corresponding letters.
Hebrew has only 5 vowel sounds, with lack of discrimination in Hebrew between long and short vowels. In comparison, English which has around 12 vowel sounds (5 long, 7 short) depending on dialect. As a result, words such as sit/seat (Script error: No such module "IPA". and Script error: No such module "IPA".), hat/hut (Script error: No such module "IPA". and Script error: No such module "IPA".), and cop/cope (Script error: No such module "IPA". and Script error: No such module "IPA".) are transliterated as the Hebrew vowels Script error: No such module "IPA"., Script error: No such module "IPA". and Script error: No such module "IPA".. The English pronunciation can be known through prior context.
Vowels will sometimes be put into Hebrew by their letters, and not by their sounds, even though it is less accurate phonetically. For example, any sort of "a" sound written with the letter "o", (ex. mom, monitor, soft), will often be transliterated as an "o" vowel, that is, with a vav (ו). The same is the case for an -or ending (pronounced -er), it will also often be transliterated with a vav as well. If the word with the "a" sound (such as "a" or "ah"), as in "ta ta", or "spa", it will be treated as an "a".
For full spelling, the niqqud (the "dots") is simply omitted, if partial vowelling is desired, especially for letters like Vav, then the niqqud is retained.
The picture of the "O" represents whatever Hebrew letter is used.
| Vowels | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Hebrew | English Examples | IPA | IPA after trans. |
| a | סָ (letter with kamatz), File:Hebrew Patah.svg (letter with patah), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אַ/אָ (Alef with kamatz or patach) (Not part of ordinary Hebrew spelling but sometimes used in transliterations) |
run, enough | a/ʌ | ä |
| Note for below: This sound (æ) (ex. hat) does not exist in Hebrew. As a result, it is always transliterated as if it were an (a) sound (ex. hut). |
mat, hat | æ | ||
| סָ (letter with kamatz), File:Hebrew Patah.svg (letter with patah), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אַ/אָ (Alef with kamatz or patach) (Not part of ordinary Hebrew spelling but sometimes used in transliterations) | ||||
| Note for below: These sounds (ɑ/ɒ) (ex. pawn) do not exist in Hebrew. As a result, it is transliterated as if it were an (a) sound (ex. pun). |
spa, pot, law | ɑː/ɒː | ||
| סָ (letter with kamatz), File:Hebrew Patah.svg (letter with patah), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אַ/אָ (Alef with kamatz or patach) (Not part of ordinary Hebrew spelling but sometimes used in transliterations) | ||||
| e | File:Hebrew Segol.svg (letter with segol), File:Hebrew Zeire.svg (letter with zeire) (more ambiguous) | met, ɡet, enter | e | e̞ |
| i | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יFile:Hebrew Hiriq.svg (Yud preceded by letter with hirik), File:Hebrew Hiriq.svg (letter with hirik) (not used in full spelling) | tiny, key, he, swing | iː | i |
| Note for below: This sound (ɪ) (ex. mitt) does not exist in Hebrew. As a result, it is always transliterated as if it were an (i) sound (ex. meet). |
tip, myth | ɪ | ||
| <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יFile:Hebrew Hiriq.svg (Yud preceded by letter with hirik), File:Hebrew Hiriq.svg (letter with hirik) (not used in full spelling) | ||||
| o | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וֹ (Vav with holam), סֹ (succeeding letter with cholom) (not used in full spelling) | no, tow, moan, toll | o/əʊ | o̞ |
| Note for below: These sounds (ɑ/ɒ) (ex. cop) do not exist in Modern Hebrew. As a result, it is transliterated as if it were an (o) sound (ex. cope). |
mop, hot, wash, tall, awe, on | ɑː/ɒ/ɔː | ||
| <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וֹ (Vav with holam), סֹ (succeeding letter with cholom) (not used in full spelling) | ||||
| uː | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וּ (Vav with shuruk), File:Hebrew Backslash Qubuz.svg (letter with kubutz) (not used in full spelling) | tube, soon, through | uː | u |
| Note for below: This sound (ʊ) (ex. look) does not exist in Hebrew. As a result, it is always transliterated as if it were an (u) sound (ex. luke). |
look, put, could | ʊ̜/ɯ̽ | ||
| <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וּ (Vav with shuruk), File:Hebrew Backslash Qubuz.svg (letter with kubutz) (not used in full spelling) | ||||
| Diphthongs | ||||
| ei | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יי (Yud-Yud) (used specifically in transliterations), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יFile:Hebrew Segol.svg (letter with segol-Yud) (not normally used for transliterations), File:Hebrew Zeire.svg (letter with zeire) (not normally used for transliterations, also more ambiguous and used only in certain words) |
day, wait, grey | ej | e̞j |
| ai | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יי (Yud-Yud) (used specifically in transliterations), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יסָ (letter with kamatz-Yud) (not normally used for transliterations), <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יFile:Hebrew Patah.svg (letter with patah-Yud) (not normally used for transliterations) |
fine, why | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| oi | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וֹי (Vav with holam male-Yud) | loin, boy | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| ui | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וּי (Vav with shuruk-Yud) | sweep, queen | Script error: No such module "IPA". | uj |
| ao | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />או (Alef-Vav) | town, mouse, pout | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| yu | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />יוּ (Yud-Vav with shuruk) | cute, arɡue, unit, few, you | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| Hiatus | ||||
| ui | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />וּאִי (Vav with shuruk-Alef-Yud with hirik-Yud) | Louie, gooey, chewy | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
At the beginning or end of a word
The following are special cases for vowels at the beginning or end of a word. "O", "U", or "I" sound different at the beginning of a word, because they have no consonants before them. Therefore, Vav and Yud, by themselves, would be assumed to be their consonant versions ("V" and "Y" respectively) and not their vowel versions.
If the sounds (that is, vowels with no consonants before it) are made in the middle of a word, the same thing is done as shown below (or looking up, replace the "ס" with the aleph).
For full spelling, the niqqud (the "dots") are simply omitted.
| At the beginning of a word | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Hebrew | English Examples | IPA | IPA after trans. |
| o | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אוֹ (Aleph-Vav with holam) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עוֹ (Ayin-Vav with holam) (not normally used for transliterations) |
open | o | o̞ |
| u | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אוּ (Aleph-Vav with shuruk) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עוּ (Ayin-Vav with shuruk) (not normally used for transliterations) |
Uma | u/ʊ | u |
| i/ee | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אִי (Aleph with hiriq-Yud) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עִי (Ayin with hiriq-Yud) (not normally used for transliterations) Note: The subsequent yud in both the Aleph-Yud and Ayin-Yud above is only necessary in full spelling. |
into, eel | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| ei/ai | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />איי (Aleph-Yud-Yud) | ice, ace, eiɡht | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| a | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אָ (Aleph with kamatz) or <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אַ (Aleph with patach) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עָ/<templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עַ (Ayin with kamatz or patach) (not normally used for transliterations) |
all, off | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| e | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />אֶ (Aleph with segol) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />עֶ (Ayin with segol) (not normally used for transliterations) |
Edward | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| At the end of a word | ||||
| a | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הסָ (Letter with kamatz-He) or <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הFile:Hebrew Patah.svg (Letter with patach-He) <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />א or <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />ע (Aleph or Ayin) (not normally used for transliterations) |
cola | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
| e | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_hebrew.css" />הFile:Hebrew Segol.svg (Letter with segol-He) | almeh | Script error: No such module "IPA". | Script error: No such module "IPA". |
See also
- International Phonetic Alphabet
- Help:IPA/Hebrew
- Hebrew phonology
- Hebrew alphabet
- Romanization of Hebrew
- Hebraization of surnames
References
External links
- The International Phonetic Alphabet (revised to 2005) Symbols for all languages are shown on this one-page chart.
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