Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 2 no. 69 September 18, 1992 1) Yiddish and Dutch (Mischa van Vlaardingen) 2) Montreal Yiddish Education (Ira Robinson) 3) Re: ES (Ellen Prince) 4) Query (Shloyme Axelrod) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 16 Sep 92 22:38:25 MET DST From: santen@dutiws.TWI.TUDelft.NL Subject: acronyms & Jiddisch in Dutch language Talking about acronyms: In Dutch we use the expression "Dat is koefnoen" which means "That's for free". e The word koefnoen comes from "kof" and "nun" , added up, 150. The story goes that it stands for the friend who, when you're in real financial trouble, will read you the 150 psalms (and nothing else !). There are many Jiddisch words or corruptions in the modern dutch language !! (most dutch people don't even know they're Jiddisch words). For instance our capital, Amsterdam, is also called "Mokum" and we use the word "mazzel" all the time but here it means "see you". Or "een achenebbische buurt (neighborhood)". Mischa j *************************************************** ** Mischa van Vlaardingen ** ** Technical University Delft ** ** P.O. BOX 356, 2600 AJ DELFT, The Netherlands ** ** E-mail: santen@dutiws.TWI.TUDelft.NL ** ** Betug mit Gojsche al heb je geen Poschut ** ** op zak (Jiddisch cabaret LiLaLo ** *************************************************** 2)--------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 17:26 EDT From: ROBINSO@Vax2.Concordia.CA Subject: Montreal Yiddish Education Yes, there is Yiddish education going on in non-Hasidic schools in Montreal, though only in a few. The Jewish Peoples' and Peretz Schools (2 branches, grades 1-6) teach a four-language curriculum (English, French, Yiddish and Hebrew). This sort of education is continued at Bialik High School (grades 7-11, there is no grade 12 in Quebec). In this province, it is possible to take a high school matric examination in Yiddish language and literature. Beyond this, there is also a small Yiddish afternoon school (sponsored, I believe by Arbeiter Ring). Ira Robinson Concordia University 3)--------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 16 Sep 92 22:08:57 -0400 From: "Ellen F. Prince" Subject: RE: ES >From: BPHKNL@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu >Subject: ES > >to those who have wondered about "es" and "dos": in mynativ >mameloshn "es" is like "it",or better still like the german >"es";e.g. "es felt mir wos" is identical with "es fehlt mir >was"litteraly translated "it's missing me something". >similarly, "dos" means "this",as e.g. "dos felt mir" >meaning "i am missing this". >nick leibovic. clarification: what mikhl and chaim (and i) are wondering about are the instances of 'es' that (a) are not at the beginning of the sentence, and (b) don't refer to anything. also, the funny instances of 'dos' that may or may not be at the beginning of sentence and that also don't refer to anything. (but it's not clear to me that the non-referring sentence- initial dos is doing the same work as the non-referring sentence-medial dos--the plot thickens.) any ideas about them? a dank. ellen prince 4)--------------------------------------------------------- Date: 17 Sep 1992 14:44:02 -0400 (EDT) From: Seymour Axelrod Subject: "Never again." A slogan of the late Meir Kahane's JDL and Kach party (and doubtless of others as well) is "Never again!" Two words, four syllables, very direct & effective, at least in English. How would this be said in Yiddish? In Hebrew? Thanks. Seymour (Shloyme) Axelrod ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol 2.69 If your message is intended for MENDELE, please write to: mendele@vax1.trincoll.edu If you want to discuss personal business or have a shmues with the shames, please write to: nmiller@vax1.trincoll.edu Please sign your articles.