Harkavy

Harkavy is a Jewish surname. Variants in Russian language include Garkavy/Garkavyi (:ru:Гаркавый), :ru:Гарькавый) and Gorkavy (:ru:Горькавый). The Dictionary of American Family Names suggests that the surname is derived from the Belarusian word 'harkavyj' for a person who pronounces uvular R (see wikt:burr, Etymology 2) instead of voiced alveolar trill R (thus hinting at Jewish accent) In fact a derogatory epithet for a Jew is "гаркавы" (Russian "картавый"), or "burry". Another meaning of the Belarusian word "гаркавы" is "slightly bitter" (in taste).

Notable people with the surname include: Abraham Harkavy (1839–1919), Russian Jewish historian and orientalist Alexander Harkavy (1863–1939), Russian Jewish writer and lexicographer, known for his Jewish-English Dictionary Harold Harkavy (1915–1965), American bridge player Ilya Garkavyi (1888–1937), Soviet Red Army commander Juliana Harkavy (born 1985), American Jewish actress Yehoshafat Harkabi (1921–1994), head of Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate (1955-59), military historian, and recipient of the first Israel Prize for political science (1993) Shlomo Harkavy (c. 1870 – c. 1942), Orthodox rabbi in Belarus