# Blackberry



## Áskera

Hi, guys!

I would like to know if there’s a way you can say “blackberry” (this fruit) in Hebrew. In Morfix EN-HE Dictionary they give me “אסנה”, but is that word even used? Some people have told me it is אוכמנית or פטל, yet those ones mean ‘blueberry’ and ‘raspberry’, respectively.

I found these blog notes, and its author says that at Morfix dictionary (which I couldn’t find) it’s translated as “black raspberry” and/or “a collection of blueberries”. I’m kind of confused, honestly.

Could you guys clear this up to me, please?

Thank you in advance!


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## Abalord

I suppose that officially the name of the fruit is "אסנה", that's the name it's being marketed for sale in plant nurseries, and other businesses of this sort.
I'm not sure what is the origin of this word, it may be related to the biblical word "סנה" (the burning bush), which some identify as a Species of _Rubus. _
However, it's indeed also commonly referred to as "פטל שחור" (black raspberry), but definitely not "אוכמנית".


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## Drink

Abalord said:


> it may be related to the biblical word "סנה" (the burning bush), which some identify as a Species of _Rubus_.



I don't think that's the case. I don't know the origin, but I don't think it has any relation to סנה.


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## Abalord

I'm really quite curious about this now. I'll send an inquiry to the Hebrew language academy, maybe they have some information.


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## Drink

It's not in this dictionary, which is strange.


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## Áskera

Thank you so much for your answers! And what about פרי יער? Have you heard that before?


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## Abalord

"פרי יער" or "גרגר יער" is commonly used as a general term, or perhaps a culinary term, for all kinds of berries.


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## Áskera

Thank you, Abalord!

And one last question… How would you pronounce אָסְנָה? Its כתיב מלא seems to be אוסנה. There's a kamatz under alef, so is the vav written because it is a kamatz qatan ([o] sound: /osná/)?
(I can’t distinguish for sure if she is pronouncing it like [a] or [o]: Pronunciación de אָסְנָה: Cómo pronunciar אָסְנָה en Hebreo.)


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## Abalord

To the best of my knowledge, it's pronounced "osna". I've found a video [link removed] from the Israeli Agricultural Research Organization (Volcani) about berries cultivation, and this is how the researcher pronounce it.

Moderator note: Sorry, but no video links are allowed without prior moderator approval (Rule 4).


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## Áskera

Thank you so much, Abalord!


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## Abalord

Here's the answer I received from the academy:

אכן יש המכנים את הפטל השחור אוסנה. אינני יודעת מי חידש את השם הזה. הוא לא נדון באקדמיה, ומכל מקום זה רעיון למדני במובהק.
אֲסַנּא - מקבילה ארמית לסְנֶה.
את דברי התורה וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ ה' אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת-אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה (שמות ג, ב) מתרגם אונקלוס וְאִתְגְּלִי מַלְאֲכָא דַּייָ לֵיהּ בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִית אִישָׁתָא מִגּוֹ *אֲסַנָּא*.
יש מסורת קדומה המזהה את הסנה עם הפטל השחור, ונראה היא פותחה בעיקר במדרשים נוצריים.

מקור תנועת o בשם אוסנה נשאל כנראה מן השם הפרטי אָסְנַת - הנהגה בפי כול Osnat. ואולי גם שמו היידי של הפטל השחור אוֹזֵ'נִיצֶה (מאוקריינית - אוֹז'ינָה) השפיע במידת מה.​


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## Drink

Oh wow. I guess I was wrong. Thanks for finding this out!


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