Dear friends,
One of the most popular words in Israel this summer is l’tarped
which means “to sabotage.”
It’s not a new word. Over the years, l’tarped has appeared in Israeli broadcasts here and there and sometimes even makes it into casual conversation.
Three weeks ago, however, l’tarped made a furious comeback when Natalie Zangauker, sister of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker, spray-painted Dai l’tarped
on the Chords Bridge in Jerusalem.
It was a direct, and defiant, message to Prime Minister Netanyahu, whom many have accused of sabotaging hostage negotiations in order to protect his political status.
Linguistically, l’tarped has its origins not in Hebrew but in another language: English!
Before revealing which English word, take another look at l’tarped and see if you can figure it out…
Indeed, it’s based on “torpedo,” which, in English, is a synonym for “to sabotage.”
What I find fascinating is that when I’ve asked Israelis what l’tarped means in English, they always say “to sabotage,” never “to torpedo.”
How ironic – the word’s original meaning turpedah
or “was sabotaged,” by its synonym in translation!
Joel Chasnoff is a stand-up comedian, podcast host, and co-author of Israel 201, winner of the 2023 National Jewish Book Award. You can find out more about his comedy, books, and upcoming tour at www.joelchasnoff.com, and sign up for his weekly newsletter, Hebrew Is Magic, to learn more about the hidden life lessons in Hebrew words.
