Yiddish Tuesday: Schmatta

Schmatta (ˈ sh mätə): n. old, tattered clothing; rags

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You're not going out wearing that schmatta, are you?

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Yiddish Tuesday: Yenta

Yenta (yen′tə): n. A busybody, gossipmonger, usually a woman.  

[Following the 1964 Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof, yenta entered Jewish American lexicon and has also become synonymous with matchmaker after the show's well-meaning but meddlesome marriage broker named Yente, a character originally created by writer Jacob Adler in the 1920's.]

Two well-known yentas:

Yiddish Tuesday: Nu

Nu (noo): interrogative adverb. Used to ask a variety of question, including "so?", "well?", "what's happening?", or "huh?"

 

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So? Nu?  How was your trip?

Yiddish Tuesday: Hockin A Chainik

Hockin a chainik (hockin ä chi:'nik): v. to talk nonsense; to talk for the sake of talking; to carry on about something in a boring, long winded manner.  (Literally, 'to bang on a teakettle')

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"I get it.  You didn't like your soup.  Now, stop hockin a chainik!"

Yiddish Tuesday: Kvell

Kvell: v. to be overcome with pride, to gush

 Definitely a first born.  You can tell because Grandma is kvelling.
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Yiddish Tuesday: Kvetch

 Kvetch: n. complainer; v. to complain

"Sorry I've been kvetching so much; this sweater vest is just so itchy!"

(Other uses: "Stop being such a kvetch!" or "All you ever do is kvetch.")

Yiddish Tuesday: Schmutz

Schmutz (Shmoots): n. dirt, filth

"What's that schmutz on your shirt?"

Yiddish Tuesday: Shaina maideleh

This week's word is:

Shaina maideleh (SHAY-neh MAY-del-eh):  n. Pretty girl

Sophie Blackall illustrates the messages people post in the "Missed Connections" section of Craigslist.  Blackall  describes these notes as "the modern equivalents" of "messages in bottles, smoke signals, letters written in the sand".  Here is the text that inspired this drawing: 

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
-m4w (L train to Manhattan)
You were reading Catch-22 on the subway this morning. I have never seen such a beautiful profile. I wanted to say hi, but then you’d turn towards me and I wouldn’t be able to look at your profile anymore. You were so into your book, I don’t think you noticed me falling in love with you. But I thought I’d ask, just in case. 

P.S. I returned last night from a wonderful, albeit brief time in London and will post about it later.  

Yiddish Tuesday: Mishigas

To pay tribute to my heritage and expand my vocabulary, I will post a new Yiddish word here every week.  (Unfortunately, the days of the week don't lend themselves to any alliteration in this case, so I randomly opted for Tuesday since I happened to feel inspired today.)

Mishigas (mi′shah gäs): craziness, chaos, nonsense