Israelis Are Crowd-Sourcing The Hebrew Name For Fidget Spinner
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Thea Glassman May 15, 2017
A small, spinning toy is currently stumping Israeli linguists.
The fidget spinner, a three-pronged device that has captured the hearts — and hands — of children worldwide, has yet to be given a Hebrew name, The Times of Israel reports.
Scholars at The Academy of the Hebrew Language have turned their puzzlement into a social media call-to-action, asking the Israeli public for Hebrew name suggestions.
“It’s a good learning opportunity,” Ronit Gadish, the Academy’s scientific secretary, told The Times of Israel. “We decided to take advantage of it.”
More than 1,500 responses have been posted, with “sahriron,” a combination of spin and top climbing as one of the most popular suggestions. Others complained that the fidget spinners are a fad, and don’t need a Hebrew name in the first place.
Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @theakglassman.
