Yiddish gay kocken

Many Americans recognize Yiddish — a derivative of Hebrew and German spoken by Jews of Ashkenazi descent — through words like like klutztushand schlep that have crept their way into the English lexicon. Yiddish is the dark comedy of linguistics: carrying hyperbole, nuance and complaint, steeped in history and folklore.

The evolution of Yiddish mirrors the immigrant experience itself, borne of diaspora and destroyed by assimilation.

Yiddish Wisdom Tee – ‘Gay Kocken Offen Yom, Said Politely’ – Humorous Yiddish Shirt

My own immigrant family — the Mermelsteins, the Klatzkers, the Pachtingers, the Weisses and the Gorenefskys — lived in the crowded tenement buildings of New York in the early 19th century, speaking Yiddish at home and English in the streets. Through my Bubbe grandma and father, some of the best phrases and words were passed down to me.

Now, as the last generation of native Yiddish speakers approach the end of their lives, I asked Bubbe to yiddish gay kocken up her favorite words and expressions to live by. The female version was originally designated for the wife of such a man; a woman who was an authoritative and skilled homemaker and excellent cook.

But in a culture full of mouthy, assertive women, a balabuste came to signify any female owner or manager, boss lady, Queen or nasty girl. I come from a long line of balabuste s who lived well past Esther said it made it taste better. Though this is one of the most widely used Yiddish insults, there are several food-related alternatives for the easily offended.

Not to be confused with farpotshket sloppyfarchadat dopey or fartootsteh confused, disoriented. Aside from sheer euphony, plotz is a favorite for its flexibility of meaning. You might plotz from hearing a joke so funny you pee your pants, from an exhausting day at work, or from existential suffering.

This one is an all-time family favorite. The abbreviation, toytn bankeshas taken on meaning for a wasted effort or a lost cause. My Bubbe says the expression is a callback to a time when it was customary to help a sick person by drawing blood to the surface under a small heated cup swabbed with alcohol to suck out bad spirits and improve circulation.

Though some of Yiddish has successfully transitioned into the 21 st century, a rich language is at risk of disappearing; it is widely believed that 85 percent of the Jews who died in World War II were Yiddish speakersand the generations that followed mostly gave up the mama loshen, blending into American whiteness.

Luckily, an expressive culture full of good insults will never be obsolete. Great question! Wow, I love stuff like this. I hope you publish some more words or phrases from the Yiddish that we can all learn and enjoy. The more ways we have to try to communicate the better off we all are, I think.

Thanks again. I was looking for the term ash and blot from Yiddish I presume yiddish gay kocken found your web page. Very interesting and humorous too. Can you help with the ash and blot my sheepish friend keeps saying. Combining the two wordsthey refer to rubbish to be swept up It is always hard to determine the actual spelling of Yiddish words as they were never written in Latin script but in Hebrew and at times Cyrillic script.

Not sheepish…. Do you recall the parody on the song Bewitched,Bothered, and Bewildered? This site is an archive. The Seattle Globalist ceased operations on September 30, Photo courtesy Anna Goren Many Americans recognize Yiddish — a derivative of Hebrew and German spoken by Jews of Ashkenazi descent — through words like like klutztushand schlep that have crept their way into the English lexicon.

Gay kaken ofn yahm!