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ArchivesRe: Tehlila should be spelled Tehilah, should it not?
in reply to a message by abbasdaughter
"Is it just that being a transliteration from Hebr. some people have the h in there and some do not?"
It is exactly that.
Here's an example.
My name is Ilana, which is a Hebrew name. In Hebrew it is spelled אילנה.
Note the letter on the furthest left (Hebrew is read left to right). It's the "h" in Hebrew. But my name isn't spelled "Ilanah," it's "Ilana." But one isn't more correcct than the other, because the "h" is silent.
It is exactly that.
Here's an example.
My name is Ilana, which is a Hebrew name. In Hebrew it is spelled אילנה.
Note the letter on the furthest left (Hebrew is read left to right). It's the "h" in Hebrew. But my name isn't spelled "Ilanah," it's "Ilana." But one isn't more correcct than the other, because the "h" is silent.
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Replies
Do you find that some transliterations feel more natural with, some moreso w/out and some more inconsequential?
ie. Josiah or Hezekiah would feel unnatural to me w/out the h. So might Hadassah achtually if we want to be consistent gender-wise. Somehow the h at the end gives the name Hadassah that perfect balance. I think Ilana looks nicer in En. than Ilanah. Sara or Sarah can go either way imo.
ie. Josiah or Hezekiah would feel unnatural to me w/out the h. So might Hadassah achtually if we want to be consistent gender-wise. Somehow the h at the end gives the name Hadassah that perfect balance. I think Ilana looks nicer in En. than Ilanah. Sara or Sarah can go either way imo.
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I think it has to do with the language Hebrew names are translated into. In English, the "-ah" ending is kept (Sarah, Leah, Rebekah, Deborah), but in most other European languages it is omitted - for instance, in Portuguese we have Sara, Lia, Rebeca, and Débora.
Since the majority of Old Testament names are rarely used in Europe, the English transliteration of the names tends to be more common.
Since the majority of Old Testament names are rarely used in Europe, the English transliteration of the names tends to be more common.
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I think that some of them feel a bit more natural to people because they are seen more often in one spelling than another. All of the name you have mentioned are Biblical (including Hadassah), so we see them romanized with the "h." Sara isn't as big of a deal for us because there are a ton of women that spell it without the "h."
Having these names with the "h" keeps them more literal to the Hebrew spellings even if it is silent. So no, I don't think that it would be inconsequential.
Having these names with the "h" keeps them more literal to the Hebrew spellings even if it is silent. So no, I don't think that it would be inconsequential.
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