FERSHTAY?: Do you understand? Most of the time I didn’t.
My parents were fluent in Yiddish. They would talk to each other in that language but never to my sister and me. The consequence is that I learned a few words but not enough to hold a conversation. With the passing of time I have come to realize that many of those words are now part of American English.
Most recently it was brought to my attention when a Businessweek article about a Japanese business man was referred to as a Maven in his area of expertise on advising his clients on investments. Maven is a Yiddish word for expert. How many of you knew that?
I used the word Mishigas to describe Washington today. It means craziness in Yiddish.
What other Yiddish words are now part of the American English vocabulary?
Chutzpah – Extreme nerve or arrogance; confidence with a negative connotation. “Donald Trump’s campaign is all chutzpah.” Or Donald Trump has lots of Chutzpah.
Spritz or Shpritz – comes from Yiddish meaning a spray
Klutz – Directly translates to “block of wood”; commonly used in English to describe a particularly clumsy person.
Schlep – To carry something heavy, or to make a long and tedious journey. “I schlepped all the way to class, only to find out that it was cancelled.”
Kvetch – To complain or whine. “We know that you have a lot of work to do, but quit kvetching about it.”
Schmooze – If you schmooze you Chat, make small talk, converse about nothing in particular.
Mensch – A person of integrity and honor.
Nosh – To eat or nibble, as in “I’d like something to nosh on before dinner.”
Spiel – a sale pitch or an otherwise (un)persuasive speech. Alternatively spelled shpiel, this comes from the German word spiel, meaning “play”.
Oy Vey – exclamation of dismay, exasperation, or surprise. “Oy, Jessica is such a pretty and smart girl. Why can’t she find a husband already?”
Putz – A jerk, or a self-made fool, but this word literally means penis.
Shmatte – A rag or old garment.
Tookis (tuchis) – Butt, behind, sometimes shortened to tush or tushy.
Care to add to this list?
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