# Iahid (Jachid?)



## jugen

Dear Forum,
I am translating 17th- and 18th-century Judeo-Portuguese _matsevot_ into English and have just come upon a word that appears to be Hebrew: The original says:
"...Viveu em Jamaica 45 annos, habitando em Porto Real aonde foy *Iahid *& foy sepul. em..." (...He lived in Port Royal, Jamaica, for 45, years, where he was [a] *Iahid* and was bur. on the...)

If the word is *Jachid*, does this have a meaning as an officer in the synagogue? I understand it could mean "only child" or "only begotten". I have found *Jahid *as boy's name in Arabic, which I understand to mean "holy warrior" (probably not likely here).
I would appreciate any ideas 

JuGen


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## pachyderm

I think in this context "Iachid" can be interpreted as without wife or family.


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## Gadyc

Iahid is clearly יחיד - single in Hebrew.

It can be interpreted as "the only one that...". 
But, here it seems like pachyderm proposes: single as not married.

Surely not arabic "Chahid". It became Jachid because of letter conversion convention and diferant Arabic dialects. I don't think the name you found in your dictionary is prononced as "Yahid" neither as Spanich J "Hahid".
Elroy, or some other Hebrew and Arabic speaker can confirm (or reject) this opinion.


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## elroy

It cannot be the Arabic word جاهد ("jaahid"), because that would never be transliterated with an "i" in the beginning. The sound "y" as in "yellow" does get transliterated with a "j" sometimes but the sound "j" as in "justice" (or the "z" in "azure") would not be transliterated with an "i." Furthermore, the Arabic word جاهد is a verb and not a noun, so even if it is used as a name (I've personally never come across it), it would not be used to describe someone as in your sentence; the noun would be مجاهد - "mujaahid."


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## jugen

Toda Raba/Shukran/Obrigada 
to all who assisted in this search.  I have used "he was a bachelor" and it definitely seems correct!
All the best
JuGen


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## jugen

Re-opening *Iahid:*
The person who assigned me this translation called to my attention that this person, called *Iahid* on his matseva, was the husband of the woman buried next to him.  She died in 1743 and he in 1771, so in this case could *Iahid* be rendered as "a widower"?
jugen


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## scriptum

jugen said:


> Re-opening *Iahid:*
> The person who assigned me this translation called to my attention that this person, called *Iahid* on his matseva, was the husband of the woman buried next to him. She died in 1743 and he in 1771, so in this case could *Iahid* be rendered as "a widower"?
> jugen


Hi jugen,
I think the word could mean neither "widower" nor "bachelor". AFAIK, in the Bible "yahhid" is used only in the meaning "the only son".


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## jugen

Thanks, scriptum,
Is this a usual word to put on the matseva of someone who died at age 65?
jugen


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## scriptum

jugen said:


> Is this a usual word to put on the matseva of someone who died at age 65?


 
Sorry, I don't know. I never met it before in this context.


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## jugen

Perhaps this will remain a mystery....
jugen


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