Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah…
How do you spell the name of the holiday that brightens the winter with candles, joy, and latkes? Like many aspects of Judaism, there’s no definitive answer.
The main challenge lies in transliterating the Hebrew letters into English. Let’s break it down:
The First Letter: Chet
The Hebrew word for Hanukkah begins with the letter chet (ח), a sound that has no exact English equivalent. The guttural pronunciation can be approximated as a cross between an “h” and a throaty “ch.”
When transliterating, some prefer ch to capture the sound more authentically, while others use h for simplicity. There’s also the less common kh, used in some transliteration systems. The choice largely depends on personal preference and how closely one wants to mimic the original Hebrew pronunciation.
The Final Letter: Hay
In Hebrew, Hanukkah ends with the letter hay (ה), which is almost silent. Some transliterations add an “h” at the end to reflect the presence of this letter, while others leave it out since it doesn’t change the pronunciation much.
The Third Letter: Kaf
The third letter, kaf (כ), is doubled in Hebrew due to a dagesh (a small dot placed within the letter). To reflect this doubling, many spellings include two k’s (Hanukkah). However, some opt for a single k (Hanukah), which is simpler but less precise.
The Second Letter: Nun
The only consistent letter in all spellings is the second one: nun (נ), which is always rendered as a single “n.”
Changing Trends
Over time, preferences have shifted. Traditionalists often favor Chanukah, while Hanukkah has become the most common spelling in English today, as evidenced by Google search trends and major media outlets. However, none of the variations—Hanukah, Chanuka, or otherwise—are inherently more correct than the others.
The Takeaway
Whether you write Hanukkah, Chanukah, or another variation, what truly matters is the celebration of light, resilience, and miracles. The diversity of spellings reflects the richness of Jewish tradition and the unique challenges of bringing Hebrew into English.