Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 08.069 October 6, 1998 1) Mira Rafalowicz, O'H (Jason Payne and Colleen McCallum) 2) "Glupsk" (Naomi Fatouros) 3) lobes (Avrum Yankev Amkraut) 4) lobes (Wolf Krakowski) 5) lobes (Lucas Bruyn) 6) American Yiddish Lit (Marti Krow-Lucal) 7) American-English and Yiddish Literature (Marjorie Schonhaut Hirshan) 8) Yiddish as a scientific language (Dan Gross) 9) A brokhe for the computer (Philip "Fishl" Kutner) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 10:45:38 -0400 (EDT) From: jason payne Subject: Mira Rafalowicz, O'H A brief note acknowledging the sad news of the passing of Mira, our friend and teacher. We came to know Mira quite well over several summers spent in Oxford and Amsterdam; she was a tremendous person, dedicated to Yiddish (in all its forms) and to her friends, colleagues, and students. We are glad to have had the opportunity to learn with Mira, and to have called her "friend." Our thoughts are with her family and friends, especially Shura Lipovsky, our beloved friend. Mira was a wonderful person. Her absence will be deeply felt by all of us. Jason Payne and Colleen McCallum 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998 10:23:03 -0400 (EDT) From: NFatouros@aol.com Subject: "Glupsk" Dear People, Judel Mark in his chapter on Russian Literature in "Russian Jewry: 1860-1917" mentioned a book by Mendele (Mendele Moycher Sforim) called "Foolstown" or "Glupsk." The model for "Glupsk" was Berdichev. This is where my grandfather was born. I have been eager to find books about Berdichev so as to provide myself with a background against which I can place my grandfather, who left Berdichev at a quite young age to study medicine in Bern and Lausanne. I have already read an English version of Pinhas Kahanovich's ("Der Nister") "Der Family Mashber" which is a novel placed in Berdichev (although it is called "N"). I also read John and Carol Garrard's "Bones of Berdichev," the story of writer Vasily Grossman, and Karen Hesse's "Letters from Rivka" the story of a family's escape from Berdichev, written for children. Does anyone know whether this "Glupsk" story or novel by Mendele has been translated into English? Unfortunately, although I can often muddle my way through transliterated Yiddish, I cannot yet read Yiddish when it is written with Hebrew letters. I know of two other books about Berdichev, one in Russian and the other in Yiddish, but again, unfortunately I am unable to read them, much less find them (Ster Elizavetsky, "Jews of Berdichev: Berdichevskaia Tragediia" in Russian, and "Tipen Un Bilder Fun Yidishn Lebn Amol in Berditshev" in Yiddish.) Thank you all for your attention. Naomi Fatouros 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 01:21:19 -0400 (EDT) From: Amkal@aol.com Subject: lobes The word I know well is lobus, an uncouth or wild youngster. Used very commonly. Avrum Yankev Amkraut 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 04:11:10 -0400 (EDT) From: "Kame'a Media" Subject: lobes Re: Geoffrey Nathan's comments about (Southeastern Polish, with the accent on the first syllable). A is an "urchin" and thus, a "rascal" or "mischief-maker". My Mom used it used as an endearment often, employing the more ascerbic "paskudnyak" when she was serious. Wolf Krakowski 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 12:16:14 -0400 (EDT) From: "L.M. Bruyn" Subject: Lobes Geoffrey S. Nathan wants to know the meaning of 'lobes'. The most obvious work to look up words, the EYYED, gives: urchin. Could it possibly have a connection with Southern Dutch 'loebas' - boor, lout? Lucas Bruyn 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 01:03:18 -0400 (EDT) From: Kromobile@aol.com Subject: American Yiddish Lit Larry Rosenwald's query reminds me that Gershon Einbinder (Chaver Paver) may be useful in this regard. The National Yiddish Book Center has a number of his books in Yiddish (see particularly "klinton strit," "di tsen landslayt" and "zalmen der shuster"). At one time they also had an English translation of a number of his works, entitled "Clinton Street and Other Stories" translation by Henry Goodman, published by the YKUF. If he has time for archival research, he may be able to find other things (I don't know if he is interested in such things as the "Lobsik" stories). Zayt mir ale gezunt un shtark. Marti Krow-Lucal 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 18:45:23 -0400 (EDT) From: SHirshan@aol.com Subject: American-English and Yiddish Literature Larry Rosenwald (in 8.065) asks a fascinating shayle about the relationship between American English and Yiddish literature. In thinking about American English-language literature that relates to Yiddish, the first generation immigrant writers come to mind. Anzia Yezierska, Henry Roth, Abe Cahan, Samuel Ornitz, Michael Gold, Fannie Hurst.... Heralded as the first novel by an immigrant about immigrant life, Abe Cahan's _Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto_ was even praised by William Dean Howels. (The movie Hester Street is based on this book). Like Henry Roth's great masterpiece, _Call It Sleep_ Cahan uses grotesque (comic?) mispronunciation to contrast with the language of his characters' thoughts and feelings. With Roth, the language takes on a life and becomes the protagonist. "Vot d"I care vot she t'inks. She's your vife, ain't it? A husban' dassn't hide not'ink from his vife!..." Siz gut far yidn that Cahan's "English" mellowed in his short stories and in _The Rise of David Levinsky_.. In one of my favorite books, _Bread Givers_, Anzia Yezierska uses cadence and sentence structure and syntax to show the relationship between Yiddish (Old World ideas) and the new America. The words, the dialogue enhances the essence of each character. Lines like: "I'd give you away my life"; "it's coming the holiday";" what for should you waste your time yet with school anymore".....and: "by us home in Shnipishock"..... recall to me lovingly the speech of my parents and relatives, strongly binding me to Sara Smolinsky and even to her tyrannical, Torah loving father. Marjorie Schonhaut Hirshan Boynton Beach, Florida 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 09:25:30 -0400 (EDT) From: Dan Gross Subject: Yiddish as a scientific language Per the suggestion of Mr. Zachary M. Baker, Head Librarian at YIVO, I would like to post the following inquiry: Is there a survey article or book or other reference source which summarizes the extent to which Yiddish has been used as the original language on scientific and mathematical subjects? Thanks, Dan Gross Kensington MD [Moderator's note: a bibliography with a number of science and math books (http://sunsite.unc.edu/yiddish/library/term-yi.htm) can be found in Shtetl's library, although most of them are textbooks and popular science literature. -i.v.] 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 08:25:50 -0400 (EDT) From: "PHILIP \"FISHL\" KUTNER" Subject: A brokhe for the computer At this holiest time of the year it occurred to me that we don't have a brokhe for the computer af yidish. Somewhere in the Haredi Community someone must have found a need to thank the Almighty for the blessing of giving us the miracle of this writing machine, and the wonderful opportunities to share this virtual companionship with each other. When one sits down or gets up from almost any activity, there is a prayer. What would be a greater mitsve than thanking for this noble machine? For example, one could thank for not having a crash--forbid we should have a bomb. Naturally it must be in Yiddish. I promise to publish it in Der Bay, and I'm sure many of the other editors would do likewise. Instantly, it would be successful. In fact, why should it be left only to the Haredi--why not the Humanists? Of course we soon would have commentaries written. There would be different schools of thought, and Mendele would be a wonderful venue for the ensuing, hair-splitting, dialectical debates. mit frayndshaft, Philip "Fishl" Kutner San Mateo, CA ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 08.069 Address for the postings to Mendele: mendele@lists.yale.edu Address for the list commands: listproc@lists.yale.edu Mendele on the Web: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~mendele http://sunsite.unc.edu/yiddish/mendele.html