The Hebrew root נ.ו.ד (n.w.d) or נ.י.ד (n.y.d) bears the concept ofmobility and movement, as in the Biblical phrase in which קַיִן-Cain is cursed:
נָע וָנָד תִּהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ – you will be a restless wanderer in the land.
Modern applications of the root נ.ו.ד/נ.י.ד include:
מַחְשֵׁב נַיָּד – portable computer
טֶלֶפוֹן נַיָּד – mobile phone and the reflexive-intensiveהִתְפַעֵל verb:
לְהִתְנַיֵּד – to move/transfer oneself and to be become mobile The word להתנייד became very common in Israel this past year with the mobile phone reforms, as people found themselves switching among various cell-phone companies.
For example:
הוּא הִתְנַיֵּד מִסֶּלְקוֹם לְגוֹלָן טֶלֶקוֹם. He transferred his service from Cellcom to Golan Telecom.
Another common usage of להתנייד has to do with getting around town. For example:
אֲנִי מִתְנַיֵּד בָּעִיר בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הָאוֹפַנַּיִם.
I get around town by way of (the) bicycle.
Visit Ktzat Ivrit.