Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Plume (1998), 112 pages
Description
One doesn't have to be Jewish to recognize the words that have made their way into every fold of popular language: Chutzpah, Mensch, Tokhes, Mishmash, Nudge, Shtick, Schmaltzy, Schlep, Icky, and so on. Then there are phrases whose meaning and syntax are borrowed from Yiddish: "bite your tongue", "drop dead", "enough already", and "excuse the expression". This hilarious, concise guide includes chapters on the Basic Descriptions of People (the good, the bad, the ugly, and the goofy), the Fine Art of Cursing, Juicy Words and Phrases, Exclamations and Exasperations, and the Fine Art of Blessing.
Subjects
Language
User reviews
LibraryThing member melsmarsh
Funny enough, most Yiddish language books are. I did think the examples (usually versions of old Jewish jokes) for some of the words made this a little better than many of the rest. All of the words are in transliteration with some emphasis notes added. Mostly it functions as an entertaining
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dictionary which is what I assume they are going for. I wish one of these books would also come with a CD so one could hear the phrases. Show Less
ISBN
0452278996 / 9780452278998