Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 6.291 April 27, 1997 1) Stempeniu in English (Joachim Neugroschel) 2) Etl-betl (Dan and Rosanne Leeson) 3) A Yiddish transcription guide (Freydl Cielak) 4) Sabbath Prayer from "Fiddler" in Yiddish (Al Grand) 5) Patty-cake in English (Mechl Asheri) 6) Patty-cake in English (Devorah Bernbaum) 7) Patty-cake in English (Hershl Hartman) 8) Patty-cake in English (Chane Honig) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 10:57:54 -0400 (EDT) From: achim1@cris.com Subject: Stempeniu in English: addendum My own translation, which renders the klezmer slang into slightly delapidated rock 'n roll lingo, is still available in my collection "The Shtetl" which is still in print, both hard and paper, at Overlook Press, New York. Joachim Neugroschel 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 08:32:02 EDT From: leeson@olive.fhda.edu Subject: Etl-betl I have been teaching my daughter to play etl-betl, which is, I believe, the Yiddish name for "cat's cradle." As she has become more adept at the two-person string/hand game, she has begun to name the various positions that one can get into. That's roughly 8 different geometric shapes that can arise as the string passes from one pair of hands to the other. The names she chooses are invented as I do not know of any standard naming convention for the various shapes. The most complex position (both to get into and to get out of) she has named "the spider." Other positions have other names, of course. One is called "the bridge" and another "coffee table." Then it dawned on me that, as much as I played this game as a child, I can't remember any Yiddish names given to the various positions. Maybe there weren't any and my daughter is creating a new direction, etl-betl wise, but am I correct in my recollection that the geometric shapes achieved again and again in the course of the game did not have specific Yiddish names associated with them? Or if they did, I would love to know what they were. The problem is, of course, that one has to get into the positions to describe them. I can't think of a way to word-describe the hand position/string geometry for each of the various shapes. Some use only the thumb and pointer finger. Others use the back side of the palm only. And really complicated ones use three or more fingers on each hand, with each one pointed in some weird direction. And was etl-betl a game of the ghetto or did everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, play the game in eastern Europe? Are there any etl-betl historians on Mendele? Does Sholem Aleichem mention the game being played? Does anyone? Is there an etl-betl olympics, open and free-style? Am I spelling the transliteration of etl-betl correctly? Dan Leeson Rosanne Leeson Los Altos, California 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 11:03:26 -0600 From: arele@enter.net.mx Subject: A Yiddish transcription guide Concerning David Lidsky's posting (6.285), who wrote: "People vary in the system of transcription which they use and this sometimes leads to difficulties...." I would like to ask if we could all in Mendele, follow one transcription-form only? I myself have done a transcription-guide that I suggest to the beginners-level in my Yiddisher _Briv-Fraynd_ Club which I am not so sure if it is the correct one, (as I really do not know much about the English-phonetics), but with the idea of having all one similar way of writing. Could some Mendelyaners help or could our Mendele Online Mashgiakh, Noyekh Miller, direct us on the right transcription-form to be used? This is my own transcription-guide: Write "kh" for words like: ikh(I), bukh, khokhem(smart,inteligent person). Use the "y" (like in: Yiddish), to be sure that it sounds like in "yid-yidn, shpyl,shyikhn,...". Use the "h" at the end when you want to be sure that it sounds "eh" (like the Yiddish letter "ayen" like in: Moysheh, meydeleh) and also use the "h" with "a" when you need the sound "ah" (the "alef" that as to sound a as in cat: mahyn, dahyn(yours)... These are some basics to start with. How correct is this? I could not tell! I have asked for the Yivo rules for transcription but nobody replied. What do Mendelyaner think? Freydl Cielak Meksike 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 10:17:18 -0400 (EDT) From: savoyid@aol.com Subject: Sabbath Prayer from "Fiddler" in Yiddish In response to Sloyme-Khayim Cohen's request [6.290] for the Yiddish lyrics of the chorus number "Sabbath Prayer" from _Fiddler on the Roof_, I have an old LP recording of an all Yiddish production of the show from Israel. I found the "Sabbath Prayer" spot on the recording and played it several times while trying to copy the words. It's not easy to hear the exact words that choruses sing, but here are the opening lines (with apologies to Shraga Friedman, the Yiddish lyricist for words that I may have misheard): Tate ziser got fun Avrohom, Kumen zol moshiakh shoyn snel. Mayles vart oyf im, Dos gantse folk fun Yisroel, Sore, Rivke, Rokhl un Leye Bentsht di kinder ley oy meyad. Gotenyu mayn got Farhit zey fun dem fremd un shmad! This is followed by some interplay of singing between baritone solo and chorus which I found too difficult to hear and transcribe. I should hasten to point out that it may be necessary to get permission to use this material for concert performances. Al Grand 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 20:54:11 +0300 From: donnom@netvision.net.il Subject: Patty-cake in English B'tshuve Shloyme Khayim Cohen's frage vegn "patshi kikhelekh" [6.290], geyt es azoy: Patshi patshi kikhelekh Tate vet koyfn shikhelekh Mame vet koyfn zekelekh (Ployni) vet hobn royte bekelekh! Un der dervaksnener knaypt di bekelekh fin'm pitsele kind, zol er lebn un gezint zayn! Oyb s'iz do a nign dertsi, ken zayn, nor ikh hob alayn kaynmol nisht gehert. Mechl Asheri [Mechl kumt mazeltov tsulib a nay eynikl, Rokhl Dvoyre, an oyfele mit royte bekelekh. nm] 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 25 Apr 1997 15:12:13 -0400 From: dorys@interlog.com Subject: Patty-cake in Yiddish Shloyme-Khayim (Steve) Cohen hot gefraygt for de verter funem "patshi patshi kikhelekh." Dieh zennen alleh verter vos ich gedenk: patshi, patshi kikhelekh mame vet koyfn shikhelekh dos kind hot royte bekelekh mame vet koyfen zekelekh Devorah (Dorys) Bernbaum 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 18:32:53 -0400 (EDT) From: hershl@aol.com Subject: Patty-cake in Yiddish As my now 30- and 40-something daughters will attest, the words their bobe taught them, being archaic, are somewhat sexist and go as follows: patche, patche kikhelekh. der tate't koyfn shikhelekh, di mame't shtrikn zekelekh, a gezunt in dem kind's bekelekh. (The possessive of the child's name is often substituted for "dem kind's") It has more of a sing-song chant than a melody. I'm sure some musically gifted Mendelist can provide it. BTW, in connection with the syntax in Shloyme-Khayim Cohen's query (V.6.290), can one of our grammarians explain the rules that govern the use of _er shraybt_ and _shraybt er_? Hershl Hartman 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 23:56:21 -0400 (EDT) From: ahonig@mailbox.syr.edu Subject: Patty-cake in Yiddish di verter far di gezang far kleyner kinder gayt azoy: Patche, patche kikhelakh der tate vet koifen shikhelakh di mame vet shtricken zekelakh far di maydele ( der yingele) mit sheyne, roite bekelakh! Patchee patchee little toes..or feet papa will buy shoes mama will knit socks for the little girl (boy) with lovely red cheeks. Chant all the words on two tones while gently clapping both of baby's feet together as baby lies on back or is reclining or sitting.. As you get near the end of the chant on two notes, hurry up the last line of words so the baby giggles as you hurry the clapping of feet together.. Many times, a grandbabe has waved fiselakh vigorously as if imperiously to ask for more patche patche kikhelakh.. babies love this game. sometimes to make the last line even more rushed, i might try to crowd in an extra word and chant: far di maydele mit kleyne, sheyne, royte bekelekh! Chane Honig ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 6.291 Mendele has 2 rules: 1. Provide a meaningful Subject: line 2. Sign your article (full name please) Send articles to: mendele@yalevm.cis.yale.edu Send change-of-status messages to: listserv@yalevm.cis.yale.edu a. For a temporary stop: set mendele nomail b. To resume delivery: set mendele mail c. To subscribe: sub mendele first_name last_name d. To unsubscribe kholile: unsub mendele Other business: nmiller@mail.trincoll.edu ****Getting back issues**** 1. 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