Davka

Yesterday one of my good friends in Canada sent me an email to tell me that she had mistakenly sent me a condolence card at my old address. She was worried that it might not arrive. I just smiled.

While I doubt that what I am about to say would hold true in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem or Haifa, it surely holds true in smaller cities like Ra'anana.... The postman (or woman) knows us by name and as long as we don't move too far from our original location, he or she will find us. Or, as we would say here... Davka, he or she would find us.

Which brings me to the word "davka". It's a great word that has no real English equivalent, which is really too bad. It is a great word and I have incorporated it enthusiastically into my everyday English speech. Davka essentially means not only will the condolence letter's address be inconsequential, but in fact, it will find its way to me. In spite of our move -- the letter will arrive.

I found a good explanation of the word davka half way through the blog article at the following website: www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm?frm=3892&sec_id=3892. And so you don't waste too much time looking for it, let me add that it has it's own heading about half way down the page.

Feel free to use Davka anytime you want. It may stump whoever you are speaking to, but hey, that's their problem. It is a truly useful word that you will soon find you cannot live without.