Because the phrase, “spinning light” made too much f’n sense, a word had to be invented to describe the type of revolving light on emergency vehicles. That word:
Chakalaka (צ’קלקה).
If anyone knows where this ridiculous word comes from, and why it’s suddenly the only acceptable way to describe the police siren light thingy, please let me know.
Chaka-lotta nonsense to me… the only thing I (Eitan) found was this Wikipedia stub:
Aside from spelling “flavor” with that really annoying ‘u,’ this doesn’t give us much by way of an explanation into how a “spicy African vegetable reilsh” served with something called “pap” somehow lends itself to a description of an ambulance light.
Anyway, we came across this Chakalakasmic jam put together by our friends Pinhas & the Portuguese Crotch Flu. Seems to make sense…
For the full lyrics of the song, keep reading…
La chakalaka, la chakalaka, ya no puede מסתובב
La chakalaka, la chakalaka, ya no puede מסתובב
La cada cada! la cara-caramobile! ya no puede מסתובב
La chakalaka, la chakalaka, ya no puede מסתובב
Zabaj: the Junk in Israel's Trunk 
[…] and just plain old goofiness. Thanks to Zabaj, my new favorite word is Chakalaka which is Hebrew slang for siren. Not to worry though – when I do finally get around to actually being able to speak a word, my […]
I’ve also heard the single rotating light (like the ones that police officers have on their white, personal cars) referred to as a קוג’ק (Kojak).
chakalaka? thats not even , whats the word, onomotopea?
i want more kibalti fak
Wasn’t there a song that had “Boom Chakalaka Boom Chakalaka” in the background.
urbaneskimo, there are some good kibalti faks coming up. Keep checking back.
[…] plot sickens in the search for any reason behind “Chakalaka.” When lonelymanofcake revealed that any single “chakalaka” rotating light put upon a […]
[…] La chakalaka […]
……..’cause “police siren light thingy” makes so much more sense.
“police siren light thingy” eh? Yeah, that’s what it’s called in English…
POLICE LIGHT!
Zwaailicht, Blåljus, etc… All Nordic/Germanic languages describe them in terms of function or meaning. Concisely and to the point, without over-simplifying.
Police light doesn’t cut it, because we need other words for the Ambulance and Fire brigade in that case.
But indeed, shakalaka is just too damn funny. Not as funny as the “End of the Sale” which is called “Slutspurt” in Swedish, but damn close.
Whenever I use one (Mishmar Ezrachi) I ask what they called a Kojak before Kojak showed on TV here. And I can’t remember what you call it in English, either. But I don’t think I ever knew.
But wikipedia has the answers to everything, and it says that a roof mounted single beacon with a magnetic mount (or a mag-mount beacon, for short) is also called a Kojak. But I never heard that anywhere but here. On the other hand, I never used one before I got here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_vehicle_lighting#Roof-mounted_single_beacon