How Do You Spell ‘Hanukkah’?

Sunday marked the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, and since its an eight-day celebration, we’re right in the middle of it. Hanukkah recognizes the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in the first century B.C. It had been desecrated by invaders from Syria, before they were defeated by Judas Maccabeus. To honor him, the celebration is sometimes called the “Feast of the Maccabees.” 

It’s also called the “Festival of Lights.” That’s because it’s celebrated by the lighting of candles, one on each successive day of the holiday. By the eighth day, eight candles are burning. They’re usually held in a menorah, a candelabra with nine candleholders. Yes, I said nine. Eight of them hold the main candles, and a ninth holds the shammash, a so-called “servant” candle that’s used to light the other eight. Very convenient!

‘Hanukkah’ and ‘menorah’ are Hebrew words

“Hanukkah” is a Hebrew word that means inauguration, dedication, or consecration. “Menorah” is also a Hebrew word. It literally means “lampstand” or “candlestick.” It shares the same root word as the Arabic “manāra,” which means “lighthouse” or “minaret.” Torches were often placed high in the minarets of Islamic fortresses, making these cylindrical towers beacons, or lighthouses, shining across the dark North African night.

How do you spell ‘Hanukkah’?

Now comes the big question. How do you spell “Hanukkah”? Sometimes you see it with an “h” at the beginning—other times with a “ch.” Sometimes there’s one “k” in the middle—sometimes two. And sometimes there’s an “ah” at the end—but sometimes just an “a.” What’s a careful speller to do?

The short answer is … there’s no right answer. 

Hanukkah’s many spellings are the result of transliteration

That’s because the word “Hanukah” has not been translated from the Hebrew. It’s been transliterated. That’s what happens when you replace letters or characters from one language with those from another. In the process, you’re trying your best to reproduce the sounds of the original language. 

The problem is some languages have sounds that others don’t. For example, English doesn’t have the throaty “r” sound you hear in the way the French pronounce the word “Paris,” or the rolling “r” sound in the Spanish “perro.”

It also doesn’t have the rough “h” sound that starts the Hebrew version of “Hanukkah.” It...

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