אנוכי

Hebrew

FWOTD – 12 January 2020

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *ʾanāku. Compare Akkadian 𒀀𒈾𒆪 (anāku, “I”) and Phoenician 𐤀𐤍𐤊‎ (ʾnk, “I”), 𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉‎ (ʾnky, “I”). The adjectival and adverbial uses are modern innovations.

Pronunciation

(Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)a.noˈχi/
(Ashkenazi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ɔ.nojˈxi/, [ɔˈnoj.xi]
(Samaritan Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)aˈna.ki/
(Sephardi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /(ʔ)a.noˈxi/
(Yemenite Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɔ.nøˈxi/
(Tiberian Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔɔ.noˈxi/
(Biblical Hebrew) IPA^(key): /ʔaː.noːˈkiː/

Pronoun

אנוכי / אָנֹכִי • (anokhí) m or f

(archaic or formal) I (first-person singular nominative pronoun).
- c. 600 BCE, “Chapter 5”, in Shoftim (Judges):
  ‏גשִׁמְע֣וּ מְלָכִ֔ים הַאֲזִ֖ינוּ רֹֽזְנִ֑ים אָֽנֹכִ֗י לַֽיהֹוָה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָשִׁ֔ירָה אֲזַמֵּ֕ר לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל‎
  Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes; I, to the Lord I shall sing, I shall sing to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Usage notes

In Modern Hebrew, the form אֲנִי‎ (aní, “I”) is used almost exclusively, though אנוכי \\ אָנֹכִי may be used for emphasis, or to imitate Biblical style.

		singular	plural
1st person		אֲנִי‎ (aní), אנוכי / אָנֹכִי‎ (anokhí)[PP 1]	אֲנַחְנוּ‎ (anákhnu), אָנוּ‎ (ánu)[PP 2]
2nd person	m	אַתָּה‎ (atá)	אַתֶּם‎ (atém)
2nd person	f	אַתְּ‎ (at)	אַתֶּן‎ (atén)
3rd person	m	הוּא‎ (hu)	הֵם‎ (hem)[PP 3]
3rd person	f	הִיא‎ (hi)	הֵן‎ (hen)[PP 3]
The form אנוכי / אָנֹכִי‎ (anokhí) occurs many times in the Hebrew Bible, but is basically obsolete today. In Modern Israeli Hebrew, the form אָנוּ‎ (ánu, “we”) is the more formal, אֲנָחנוּ‎ (anákhnu) the more colloquial. In colloquial Modern Israeli Hebrew, the nominally masculine forms אַתֶּם‎ (atém) and הֵם‎ (hem) are sometimes taken as gender-neutral and substituted for אַתֶּן‎ (atén) and הֵן‎ (hen), this is sometimes considered incorrect.

References

H595 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Adjective

אָנוֹכִי • (anokhí) (feminine אָנוֹכִית‎, masculine plural אָנוֹכִים‎ or אָנוֹכִיִּים‎, feminine plural אָנוֹכִיּוֹת‎)

selfish, egotistical
- 2023 February 12, לירון שרון, “אוזיל הזמין את נשיא טורקיה השנוי במחלוקת לחתונתו”, in Maariv:
  ‏"הם השתמשו בי באופן אנוכי כחלק מתעמולה פוליטית."‎‎
  "Hem hishtamshu bi b'ofen anochi k'khelek m'ta'amula politit."
  "They used me in a selfish manner as part of political propaganda."

Adverb

אָנוֹכִי • (anokhí)

selfishly
- 2023 February 12, אפרת עמורבן, “קליין: "כולם שיחקו חזק, אף אחד פה לא אנוכי"”, in Ynet:
  ‏"זו באמת ברכה להיות בנבחרת", אמר קליין. "אנחנו צריכים להמשיך נגד סרביה. כולם שיחקו חזק, אף אחד לא משחק אנוכי".‎‎
  "It's truly a blessing to be on the team," said Klein. "We have to go against Serbia next. Everyone played hard, no one plays selfishly."

[perpronnote1-1] The form אנוכי / אָנֹכִי‎ (anokhí) occurs many times in the Hebrew Bible, but is basically obsolete today.

[perpronnote2-2] In Modern Israeli Hebrew, the form אָנוּ‎ (ánu, “we”) is the more formal, אֲנָחנוּ‎ (anákhnu) the more colloquial.

[perpronnote3-3] In colloquial Modern Israeli Hebrew, the nominally masculine forms אַתֶּם‎ (atém) and הֵם‎ (hem) are sometimes taken as gender-neutral and substituted for אַתֶּן‎ (atén) and הֵן‎ (hen), this is sometimes considered incorrect.