Tummler:: a walk-around comic, made famous at the Borscht Belt hotels and bungalow colonies in New York's Catskill Mountains. A letter from the "widow of a Nigerian prince. Let's just say the itinerant knish man wasn't just selling knishes! "Shlug kappores" is the Yom Kippur ritual during which one swings a sacrificial chicken over one's head in a circular motion, as atonement for one's sins. Mmmmm! People without manners would bang a spoon around in the teacup while they were stirring and then clatter it down on the saucer when done, creating a lot of annoying, unnecessary, rude noise, apparently much like my sisters and I made a lot of rude, unnecessary, and annoying noise on occasion. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Thus, it incorporates words from Hebrew, Russian, Polish and other Slavic languages, Romance languages, and later, English. with this design? Get lost; hit the road; beat it; piss off. Often used sarcastically. Second link is a Yiddish Dictionary, which may have more info: Kuchelyn (kukh-ah-lane) a summer bungalow, usually in the Borsht Belt. (A kvitcherer is one who kvitchers), © 2003 - 2011 Adrienne E. Gusoff/Bubbygram.com All rights reserved, Lantsman (lantz-man) a countryman. Note: a reader recently pointed out that this is a slang word for the female nether regions. What a Moishe Kapoyr!" You chazzer! Well, read the following and you may have a good understanding of why I take such pride. My son finally graduated from law school!" Which reminds me of joke: Ruthie marries Moishe, a very religious but sexually inexperienced young man. Woody Allen, the early years. They capture the warmth, strong family connections and expectations, hardship, and an irony distinct to the Eastern European Jewish culture from which the language arose. Bubbellah: (the "u" is pronounced like the "oo" in book) an affectionate way of refering to someone, much like "darling" or "sweetheart." Now we're completely farblongjid! "What a gutte neshumah, she is. ", Chalushes (khal-ush-ess) Nausea or a feeling of sickness. A bei gesunt: As long as you're healthy. Torah, Neviim, u-Khetuvim: The Hebrew Bible with the translation in Yiddish, by Yehoyesh (1927) Natalya Belinsky, Many Yiddish words have entered the American-English lexicon. Ungehshtupped (or Ongehshtupped) (UN-geh-shtupt) adj. "That, tokka, is a metziah!" Cookies help us deliver our services. (also Cockamayme) Read outside article on the etymology of this word. (Voo den?) Zaytik: unnecessary, extraneous, unimportant, irrelevant. "Fluent English Educational Project", Become a member of TranslationDirectory.com at just What a country! Pronounced tchy-nik, to rhyme with "Guy Nick" (with the tch as in cherry.) ", Ptcha: (sounds like a quick release of steam from a radiator.) ", Oysgeputst: (oys-geh-pootzt) overdressed for the occasion, over-embellished, overly decorated, Oysgematert: (OIS-ga-mat-urt) totally, thoroughy, completely, drop-dead exhausted. "She's going to have a full makeover? Gribenes (grib-beh-ness) Fried chicken skins. | R "He told me he'd do me a favor and fix this little problem I was having with my car. (Please let me know! Yiddish is like Spanglish, a mashup of an old world language or two, in this case German, … Nebekh - unfortunate person, poor soul. "N.Y.U.?" Narishkeit: (nar-ish-kite) foolishness (a nar is a fool) "An artist, you want to be? ), Farshluggineh: (far-shlug-in-ah) literally, shaken or mixed. or "You want to know why I don't wear a bathing suit? (note: in this expression, "sheisse" --the German word for "shit" -- is used. "Just give me the highlights. This word (correct form - zadnitza) means an ass (from zad - backside) in Russian." Welcome to Larry Baumhor's Putz Land, where you ride with centrifugal force pushing the limits of gravity, experiencing a whirling, psychological, poignantly funny prose that makes your head spin, leaving you curious, nauseous, and hysterical. To misquote both "Treasure of Sierra Madre" and "Scarface" -- "Badges? Giving to charity is a mitzvah. He's quitting law school to become a drummer in a heavy metal band! Think of Jerry Lewis doing his "Ladieeeeeeeeeeesss!" © 2003 - 2015 Adrienne E. Gusoff/Bubbygram.com All rights reserved - It's not nice to steal!!! (I get several of those requests per week!) it took me YEARS to find this word! or perhaps, occasionally, "What a meiskeit, tokka! ("shtum" mean silent) "Look at him! Harvard?" Many years ago, my grandmother was passing through Boro Park, a neighborhood of Hasidic and ultra-orthodox Jews. A biselleh is even less. ", Shnook: a gullible fool, a patsy, someone easy to take advantage of, a con man's mark. ) Note, the word is used BEFORE the article [a or an] and sometimes before the verb, as well. Gridje - (grij-eh) annoy, get under one's skin. Words such as shlep, shmata, nosh are regularly used in film, on TV and in books and magazines, without translation. To misquote Carly Simon, "You're so ongeblussen, you even think this song is about you. Cwtch doesn't come up in Google Translator). (Please let me know! Moishe Pipik (or Pupik): a fake name for any Joe Shmoe or loser type. This is more like lightly spitting a poppy seed off the tongue.) (a Shikker is a drunk). Mad Magazine's website proclaims: "This entire farshlugginer site is brought to you courtesy of www.HeritageComics.com". Best of luck to you!! ("I don't need the whole drawn out story. Nachas: (rhymes with "loch S") pride, joy, pleasure, gratification felt at the accomplishments of loved ones such as children and grandchildren. Free essays, homework help, flashcards, research papers, book reports, term papers, history, science, politics I should buy two tickets for her concert?--She should be giving out free passes, or the hall will be empty. "Quit utzing me or I'm gonna give you such a chamalyiah!". If that waiter doesn't bring our dinner soon, I'm going to challish! After being robbed and thrown from a carriage by some nogoodniks en route, he finds himself stumbling around, half-delirious from sun and hunger, in central Pennsylvania. Farshtunkeneh: (far-shtunk-en-eh) stinky, smelly, fetid, rotten. Have a suggestion? "She thinks she's going to be a fashion model? Tam ganeydn - literally, "taste of heaven." (see Alta Kocker) "It used to be a nice neighborhood, but now it's all farcockt." You little pishkeh! A very onomatopoeic word! Forget it! If you were the kind of person everyone wanted to know Chumitz (khum-itz) Anything not kosher for Passover; i.e. (It's no coincidence that everyone's favorite green ogre has a Yiddish name. Shtick: piece, thing, bit, part. Golem: A Jewish folk character -- an animate creature created out of inanimate material (the way God created Adam,) who acts as a rescuer or savior. ", Poulkie: (pull-key) thigh, either human or animal. Yet, the rule makers railed against healthy in the 1800s, and it was in a battle against healthful for dominance for many years. This is a word my grandmother used to use, and for decades, we all thought it was Yiddish for skin mole. Shit on a shingle. ("She's a good-hearted soul, but man-oh-man, is she ugly!" I suspect this is a purely Yinglish usage (or misusage) however it's so common now, that few realize the literal meaning. Based on the idiom, "darfn af kappores" -- basically, to need [whatever] like a hole in the head. That fresh chrain on my gefilte fish really cleared out my sinuses!". And a bedbug in a test tube is...? ", Ongepatchket (un-geh-potch-ked): overly decorated, fussy, too busy (in the style sense) "Did you see those bridesmaid's dresses! "For instance, you know what an alta kocker is," she said, knowing she'd used the word around him often. "Marvin shlepped around his shmata until he was 7." It's like sticking your fingers in your ears and singing, "la la la laaaaaaaa" or Sargent Schultz of Hogan's Heroes saying, "I know NOTHINK!" ", Broisten: breasts. If you enjoy this glossary, please send your friends to this page. A killeh-bendl is a truss. Shlemiel: (shleh-meel) a clumsy, inept, pathetic, oaf. This leads to variations in spellings. Only in America! Keppie: head, diminutive of keppellah. Casually, we'd leave the room, feigning innocence, then try to eavesdrop once their conversation resumed. ", Chaim Yankel (khai-yam Yonk-l) a country bumpkin; the guy who just fell off the turnip truck; an ineffectual nobody; a fool. ", Motsi: (MOW-tsee) The daily prayer over bread (or any other food that is considered "fruit of the earth" vs. food that is "fruit of the vine" or "fruit of the tree," each of which have their own prayer. ) Often, when Yiddish-speaking Jews (or parents with non-Yiddish speaking children) wanted to continue their conversation so others couldn't understand, they would switch to Yiddish. ", Alta Kocker: literally, an old shit; or as we say in English, an old fart. Usually refers to food, but can be used to describe a "tasty little lady.". or visit Art of Epiphany Tzheppah: to bait. I should buy two tickets for her concert?--meaning: I'm having enough trouble deciding whether it's worth one. Jewish Zen Humor The Yiddish Word Of The Day being "exposed" on Roland's Ramblings is putz. During that period, mourners must sit on low boxes or crates, cover all the mirrors in their homes, rend (rip) their clothing (now reduced to a small, torn, black ribbon) and much more. (vulgar). "Did you hear? Bubbies call their grandchildren "bubbellah." A wedding, a bar mitzvah or any happy holiday. The Sparkling Snowflakes based in Orlando, FL - will travel anywhere. "My last blind date was an animal! "If you don't stop that carrying on, I'm going to give you such a zetz!" ), Krotz - Literally, scratch. Being called a mensch is the ultimate compliment. (the subtext being, "you should go in good health, but drop dead before you get to the bottom of the stairs!") (see also Toyten Bankes). ; Category:Yiddish appendices: Pages containing additional information about Yiddish. Sarcasm through innocuous diction: "He only tried to shoot himself." (I'm done with THIS!) I'm sure the nobles of Europe found it wildly hilarious having their knickers soaked as the shnitzel was served. Buy a copy of about religion, customs, holidays, various sects, the Talmud, Ibbergerblibbernis!" Haimish: down-to-earth, sympatico, approachable, a "haimisheh mensch" is a regular guy. Nuchshlepper (nuch-shlep-per) a hanger-on, sidekick, a groupie. "I drove around the block for an hour looking for a parking place. hang out in your sweats. I am not buying you Sugar-Frosted Chocolate Puffies cereal. The Scorn through reversed word order: "Already you're discouraged?" A "farbissenah punim" is a "sour face." Geshmak ! I should buy two tickets for her concert?--Did she buy tickets to our daughter's recital? You dig, man? This was the signal to change over to the mama loshen. instead of "Oy!" Don't make a big tsimmis about it. What?! My bubby (from Warsaw, not Kishev) wouldn't have known from chai if it was slopped on her. Most, if not all, of these villages are long gone, the inhabitants either wiped out by pogroms, killed by the Nazis or emigrated to the U.S. or Israel. Dershticht zolstu veren! Yenta: a busybody; a gossip; a walking, talking National Enquirer. "Sh" words are often spelled with an "sch" and words which end in "er" might also be spelled with an "eh" "ah" etc. Focus on materials for Yiddish students and those aspiring to write in the rich and beautiful Yiddish language. TranslationDirectory.com, Free Newsletter. Fear not! Put your money where your mouth is." As Mike Myer's Linda Richman character would say, when she gets all worked up, "I have shpilkes in my genecktigazoink." see also challish, Potch: a generally painless, light, cup-handed slap. (It's funny! Audrey Hepburn and Callista Flockhardt were/are decidedly NOT zoftig. (Sometimes pronounced "broo-kheh")See also: motsi, Broygis: (BROY-gas) angry, pissed off, with a mad-on, having a shit-fit, mad at someone, on the outs with someone, not on speaking terms. Matzoh: Passover "bread" -- aka "The Bread of Affliction" (according to the Passover story) and if you've ever eaten a lot of matzoh, you know why they call it that. (Never to be confused with brokheh, which is a "blessing", Brokheh - blessing or blessed. | X ), Toochis: (toukch-uss) rear end, behind, tush. | L Also, nauseating. The word is similar in German. Metziah: (metz-see-yah) bargain, often used sarcastically. Look at this drek! (see also Fress), Ess vi ein faygl, sheisse vi ein ferde! Knaidl (the K is pronounced) matzo ball, matzo meal dumpling, usually served in chicken soup. Tsooris squared. "Quit kvitchering. Just because this is a Yiddish website, hardly This from Leo Rosten's wonderful book "The Joys of Yiddish": (The questioner as asking whether he/she should attend a concert being given by a niece.