how to say “complexity” in Hebrew
having trouble seeing the print?
The Hebrew word רֶכֶב (REH-khev) means vehicle in both Biblical and Modern Hebrew. Likewise, the verb לִרְכּוֹב (leer-KOHV) means to ride. The root is ר.כ.ב (r.k.b).
There’s another set of words used in Modern Hebrew that are of the same root but of an entirely different meaning. The active-causative הפעיל verb לְהַרְכִּיב (leh-hahr-KEEV) means to assemble or, in its Mishnaic Hebrew origin, to place one element on top of another. A similar word is רְכִיב (reh-KHEEV) – an ingredient, or an element within a system. Something already assembled or complex is something מֻרְכָּב – an adjective from the passive-causative הופעל verb form.
Thus, like many other nouns created by adding the oot sound to the end of another word (as English might add -ity or -ness), complexity is מֻרְכָּבוּת (moor-kah-VOOT) in Modern Hebrew.
Whether there is a semantic connection between רכב the vehicle and מוכרבות the abstract concept, I don’t know. Any ideas?
