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<font face="Arial">Translating the word Inyan<br>
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I’ve often been frustrated trying to translate the word ‘‘inyan’‘ into
English. The usual translations, ‘‘matter’‘ or ‘‘subject’‘ or even
‘‘concern’‘ often sound stiff in English and do not get across the real
Hebrew meaning and feel. It just hit me this past Shabbos that the
English equivalent is often the word, ‘‘point.’‘ ‘‘The inyan is…,’‘
translates: ‘‘the point is...’‘ ‘‘There is an inyan to do
such-and-such,’‘ translates, ‘‘There is a point to do such-and-such.’‘
Then again, sometimes the best translation is simply the word,
‘‘thing.’‘ ‘‘There is no such inyan’‘ translates, ‘‘There is no such
thing.’‘ ‘‘There is an inyan of darkei shalom’‘ translates, ‘‘There is
a thing about living in harmony.’‘ ‘‘That's another inyan’‘ translates,
‘‘That is something else (or: another story)’‘ I just thought I’d make
of note of this, for those like me interested in such inyanim—or those
interested in such things.<br>
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PS: I'm using Ariel font and typing two single-quotation marks rather
than double-quotation marks, hoping they don't come across as question
marks. If they do, I would appreciate advice.<br>
<br>
Zvi Lampel</font><br>
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