Is the official spelling of this Mediterranean snack, Falafel or Felafel?
Question #57443. Asked by author.
Arpeggionist
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Arpeggionist 20 year member
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Falafel with an A. Velanu yesh falafel, falafel, falafel. :)
May 31 2005, 8:43 AM
gmackematix
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gmackematix 21 year member
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Currently voted the best answer.
What do you mean by "official spelling"? As officiated by whom?
May 31 2005, 3:56 PM
Arpeggionist
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Arpeggionist 20 year member
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Well, I assumed Author meant the most proper transliteration of the word. Since the Arabic language has no real short "e" vowel in its language, and in Hebrew the word is given a patach (the short "a" vowel), stands to reason that it would be transliterated as an A in the European alphabet.
May 31 2005, 4:37 PM
author
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author 22 year member
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I mean: The English (or English-American) spelling according to dictionaries published in these countries.
Jun 02 2005, 12:10 PM
Arpeggionist
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Arpeggionist 20 year member
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Well if the English dictionaries are spelling it "felafel" they're wrong.
Jun 02 2005, 4:48 PM
gmackematix
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gmackematix 21 year member
3194 replies
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If English dictionaries are reflecting the way the word is most commonly spelt in its borrowed form then I would hardly say they are "wrong". English dictionaries are expected to list English words not best transliterations from Arabic.
The Concise Oxford lists it under "felafel" with "falafel" as a variant.
