The only truly correct options are חֲנֻכָּה or חֲנוּכָּה
However, holding that transliteration must exist, we can extrapolate the correct answers from the Hebrew.
Regarding the last two syllables:
- There is no dagesh chazaq in the nun, so there is no reason to double the "n" in the transliteration!
- There is a heh at the end, so there should be an "h" at the end.
- The kaf should not be translated as a double "k" or "c" because it has a dagesh qal, not a dagesh chazaq. While "k" is the most legible transliteration, q is welcome. Ck & C alone are not fully asur*, but are not recommended because they can lead to confusion in pronunciation and we should always build a fence around Torah.
The chet is a wildcard. Current acceptable options are ch, kh, x, ḥ, & 7, but I'm sure there's others floating out there. Using a regular "h" to transliterate a ח or כ is generally asur, so kal v'chomer** it's assur on a holiday that deals with Hellenism/assimilation.
This means the definitive list of current acceptable transliterations of the word "חֲנֻכָּה/חֲנוּכָּה" is as follows:
- chanukah
- chanuqah
- khanukah
- khanuqah
- xanukah
- xanuqah
- 7anukah
- 7anuqah
- chanookah
- chanooqah
- khanookah
- khanooqah
- xanookah
- xanooqah
- 7anookah
- 7anooqah
- ḥanukah
- ḥanuqah
- ḥanookah
- ḥanooqah
[Edit: follow-up post about lack of other dialects present in the list!]
* Asur / אָסוּר: (adj.) forbidden
**Kal v'chomer / קַל וָחֹמֶר: literally light and heavy; a halakhic phrase that essentially means "all the moreso"; an argument a fortiori for the legal & latin nerds
It was discussed at a channukah dinner last night (and I see now a couple of re-chosts) that I have not included a single Me-damned Ashkenazi pronunciation. I know it was discussed because omnipresence or whatever. This is especially embarrassing given that the scribe of this account is, indeed, Ashkenazi
The dageshim & ending-heh rules still apply! All vowels can and should be adjusted according to one's chosen Hebrew/diasporic language dialect.
Additionally, this isn't a complete list of other Sephardi transliteration options!
A makhloket for the ages, My dudes! The only lines I'm holding here is:
- One letter for however one transliterates a nun
- One letter for however one transliterates a kaf
- The letter to transliterate the chet must have that guttural tone, not a fully breathy heh sound
- There should be a letter transliterating the heh at the end
My b!
