« Bill Clinton's Four Errors | Main | Bill Clinton's Eight Factual Errors » Obama Launches Hebrew-Language Blog? Not Really...11 Apr 2008 10:46 am First, here's what Obama's name looks like in Hebrew:
Here's the blog, part of what the Associated Press incorrectly describes as the campaign's official outreach to Jewish voters. But the blog isn't official, although it includes a supportive letter from an Obama adviser. A campaign spokesman said that the blog was put up by Obama supporters in Israel. Those supporters are not connected to the campaign, the spokesman said. Comments (21)
That actually isn't how you spell it in Hebrew. Bet, Reysh, Qaf is the phonetic spelling, but Barack's name most likely comes from the root Baruch, meaning "blessed." The correct spelling of his name would actually be Bet, Reysh, (C)Het. In Hebrew, the roots are the most important part of the language. It kills me when people think they are being cute. 
Jacques is correct. The Arabic barak/barack and the Hebrew baruch are linguistic cognates.
Is it spelled the same as in Ehud Barak?
The Hebrew word barak (which means lightning - hence the Barak Brigage) is actually unrelated to baruch. By the way, Ehud Barak's original surname was Brog. He changed it to the Hebrew Barak.
That's the thing. I'm basing this solely off of Obama's claim that his name comes from the same root as Beruch, meaning holy. It's very possible that he pulled this out of his tush. Ehud Barak is spelled with a Qaf, and the BRQ root means 'lightning' not 'blessed'. The BRQ name is also the name of the angel who carried Muhammed into heaven. So two theories, either Obama's name actually does come from the same root as 'blessed' and should thus be spelled B-R-Ch, or his name actually is B-R-Q, meaning 'lightning,' despite his claim -- which was probably just a way to attract the attention of Jewish voters.
Bet-resh-kof is indeed how Ehud Barak spells his name. In Hebrew, Barak does not mean "blessed," it means "lightning." My point was that as written, 'Obama' has an aleph between the bet and the mem, to signify the first "a" vowel sound. The use of the aleph for the "a" sound is seen in transliteration of foreign words, and is never part of ordinary Hebrew spelling. (It's actually a Yiddish spelling convention adopted for this specialized purpose in modern Hebrew - have we reached too much information yet?) The spelling indicates that the reader should not bother trying to figure out the meaning from a Hebrew root. But in the first name, there are no extra aleph's to signify the vowel sound. It is spelled as if it were the word "lightning." They've transliterated the Arabic word meaning 'blessed' as if it were the Hebrew word meaning 'lightning.' I suppose they did it that way because, since it's already a word, there's no possibility of mispronouncing it. But it's interesting to think that to Israelis, Obama's first name is 'lightning.'
Hussein is Arabic for "handsome". Just thought I'd toss that in.
On his web site you can buy buttons that say Barack Obama on them in Hebrew. And it is missing the second Aleph. So its Aleph Vov Bet Mem Hay. Here is a picture of the button.
Jacques - The derivation of Obama's name to the Arabic barak (and hence its relation to the Hebrew baruch) is pretty clear. Here's the history: Through trade between Arabs and Africans the Arabic word barak actually made its way into Swahili. When Obama's parents named him, it was actually that Swahili word that they had in mind -- which makes perfect sense given his Kenyan heritage. Whether his parents knew Swahili had actually borrowed the word from Arabic I do not know.
Sorry, that's not true. Dvorit Shargal
I doubt it's really him. Looks like a fraud.
If it's official Dvorit ... why did they take the hebrew word "rasmi" ...or official? ... off the small print below the headline? It said that last week now it doesn't ...
I know that obama button in arabic and hebrew is avilable in seattle and you can find it under this link.
I know that obama button in arabic and hebrew is avilable in seattle and you can find it under this link.
I'm just a Canadian looking from the outside in, but here is my outrageous contribution to this thread. First lets do some history. First off your government along with others on this continent is runned by bankers, I am sure you are well aware of this. So here goes and yes you will have a good laugh. Has everyone in america forgot about 1929?
Jaques - excellent post, but if I may, just a few small corrections. The root (shoresh) for to bless is BET-REYSH-CHAF, and the root from which lightning is derived is BET-REYSH-KOOF. I think it's likely that Barack's name is derived from the Swahili (via Arabic) word for blessed, and in Hebrew that would come out as BET-REYSH-CHAF SOFIT (final CHAF) - but that would be pronounced "Ba-RACH" - so I guess the BET-REYSH-KOOF is a good compromise in Hebrew. BTW, I would vote for Barack in a minute if the election were for my next-door neighbor - but for President, I cannot vote for him - his foreign policy ideas are naive and dangerous, and his domestic policy is straight out of the late 1960's Democratic playbook of failed ideas. So, I will make a Hebrew bumper sticker - "Rak Lo Barack" (loosely translated, "anyone but Barack") רק לא ברק ... it has a nice ring to it, don't you think?
Take a look at this Domain. It has really
Well SteveR, so you're voting for McCain then? Good luck with that. And what is out of a 60s playbook of failed ideas? Like the Civil Rights Movement, HeadStart or just what? Did you like the gas-tax relief pabulum fed to you by HRC and JMcC? And talking to Castro is dangerous and naive? What we're doing now is working just grrrrrrrrreat. So why don't you print up that bumper sticker, perhaps along with one that reads: 2 STOOPID 2 NO BETTER
I'm a Jewish, Israeli-born citizen of the US (and have been a US citizen for more than 20 years) and agree whole-heartedly with Barry above. The military studies say it, the CIA says it, and so many others have confirmed it: the unilateral invasion and occupation of Iraq has made us far, far less safe, destabilized Iraq, strengthened radical Islam (the most radical Islam is not in Iran, it's in Saudi Arabia where woman can't drive, and G help us if Saudi Arabia collapses thanks to the mess in Iraq thanks to Bush), isolated us etc..We can keep making things worse or we can change policy. Our military men and women are not dying for freedom, they are dying for Bush's imperial ambitions..Today we have business relations with Vietnam, what the hell did those Americans and Vietnamese die for? Because leaders' hurt pride, that's why. As Mike Gravel said it so well, yes, they are dying in vain today, and you know what the only thing worse than our soldiers dying in vain is? MORE soldiers continuing to die for failed policy, that's what. Change the policy! But unilateral military attacks is like a drug...if the drug makes things worse, we want another sip of the alcohol knowing it will make things even worse long term, but make things look better in the short term..McCain would be another 4 years of Bush's disasters. The hardline militarists on both sides help one another..it's time to end that ugly cycle and get back to sanity.
where can I get McCain bumper stickers in Hebrew???
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It's a curious transliteration. Barack is written as if it were a Hebrew word, but Obama is written using a spelling convention for transliterating foreign words.
Posted by Bloix | April 11, 2008 11:05 AM