how to say “species” in Hebrew
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-1.m4a” /]מִין
The Hebrew word מין[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-1.m4a” /] has three meanings (no pun intended): gender, sex and species. In order to avoid misleading people into thinking that there is only one sex of crocodile, some speakers might use the word זן[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-2.m4a” /] to mean species and say:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-3.m4a” /]זה לא קרוקודיל, זה זן אחר.
This is not a crocodile, this is a different species.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Israeli scientists don’t like using the word זן to mean species, since it refers technically to a strain (more specific than species). They use מין.
For example:
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-4.m4a” /]כמה מיני עכברים יש?
How many species of mice are there?
You may also know the word מין from the seven species that the Torah mentions as those with which the Land of Israel is blessed – שבעת המינים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-5.m4a” /], as well as the four species used during Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) – ארבעת המינים[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-6.m4a” /].
A subspecies is תת-מין[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-7.m4a” /], just as the subconscious is the תת-מודע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/מין-8.m4a” /].
