What are some common Yiddish words?
Yiddish Words Used in English
- bagel – bread roll in the shape of a ring.
- bubkes – nothing; least amount.
- chutzpah – imprudent; shameless.
- futz – idle; waste time.
- glitch – malfunction.
- huck – bother; nag.
- klutz – uncoordinated; clumsy person.
- lox – salmon that is smoked.
What language is closest to Yiddish?
While Yiddish does use some Hebrew words and is written in the Hebrew alphabet, Yiddish is actually more closely related to German and Slavic languages than it is to Hebrew.
Is there a Yiddish word for Christmas?
Bernstein explains that the Yiddish term for Christmas, nitl, is derived from the Latin natalis (birth). The word is but one of more than a dozen terms Yiddish speakers used to name this holiday, according to the Language and Culture Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry (LCAAJ).
What does Schmegegge mean?
nonsense
Definitions of schmegegge. (Yiddish) baloney; hot air; nonsense. synonyms: shmegegge. type of: bunk, hokum, meaninglessness, nonsense, nonsensicality.
How do you insult someone in Yiddish?
61 Hilarious Yiddish Insults You Need To Know
- Alte Makhsheyfe: An insult meaning “old witch.”
- Alter cocker: An elderly person prone to complaint or disruption, as in a fogey, curmudgeon or old fart.
- Alter trombenik: An insult similar to “old blowhard.”
- Amoretz: A numbskull or ignoramus.
Why are German and Yiddish so similar?
Yiddish is derived from early High German. German developed umlauts after Yiddish split off. When Jews from the Rhineland moved into Poland, they took their language, German, with them. Yiddish has about 10% of its vocabulary from Hebrew, and has borrowed some words from Polish and other languages.
What does Yoshke mean?
n. An irreverent or derogatory name for Jesus Christ. n. A nickname for Yosef or Yehoshua (archaic Yiddish form).
What does apostasy mean in Hebrew?
rebellious
Apostasy in Judaism refers to the rejection of Judaism and possible conversion to another religion by a Jew. The term apostasy is derived from Ancient Greek: ἀποστάτης, meaning “rebellious” (Hebrew: מורד.)
What does Ganef mean in Yiddish?
thief
Yiddish ganef (‘thief; crook’-from the Hebrew ganov) has been pa. American slang probably since the early nineteenth century.’ In add. to the original meaning, the word has been used for ‘fool’ or ‘suck.
What does schlemiel mean in Yiddish?
“A Schlemiel is an inept clumsy person and a Schlimazel is a very unlucky person. There’s a Yiddish saying that translates to a funny way of explaining them both. A schlemiel is somebody who often spills his soup and a schlimazel is the person it lands on.”
Where can I find information about the Yiddish language?
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yiddish language. Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Yiddish phrasebook. Wikisource has the text of the 1920 Encyclopedia Americana article Yiddish Language. Comparison of Eastern and Western Yiddish based on stable vocabulary. EVOLAEMP Project, University of Tübingen. Who is a Jew?
Was Yiddish ever an official language in the Soviet Union?
Yiddish was also an official language in several agricultural districts of the Galician Soviet Socialist Republic . A public educational system entirely based on the Yiddish language was established and comprised kindergartens, schools, and higher educational institutions (technical schools, rabfaks and other university departments).
What is the Western Yiddish dialect?
The Western Yiddish dialect—sometimes pejoratively labeled Mauscheldeutsch, i. e. “Moses German” —declined in the 18th century, as the Age of Enlightenment and the Haskalah led to a view of Yiddish as a corrupt dialect. A Maskil (one who takes part in the Haskalah) would write about and promote acclimatization to the outside world.
What language do Hasidic Jews speak?
Hasidic rebbes generally use only Yiddish to converse with their followers and to deliver their various Torah talks, classes, and lectures. The linguistic style and vocabulary of Yiddish have influenced the manner in which many Orthodox Jews who attend yeshivas speak English.