Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 3. February 11, 1994 1) On the origins of ashkenazim (Bob Berk) 2) Michael Wex on Boston Yiddish Hour (Mark H. David) 3) Yiddish source for Russ slang? (Jules F. Levin) 4) Jewish diseases (Shobbse Dubin) 5) Loose language (Jascha Kessler) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu Feb 10 11:16:46 1994 From: BERK@zodiac.rutgers.edu Subject: Bob King's posting on the origins of ashkenazim Bob King has sounded what in my view is a regrettable note [although understandable] in his posting telling of his work on the origins of ashkenazic jewry. in his final paragraph, he bemoans the fate of those who are foolish enough to set forth their ideas on mendele. while it is true that there are some argumentative souls on mendele who seem to relish a good fight, the majority of us mostly lurk and, speaking for myself, appreciate being educated a bit on the various topics broached on the list. i hope bob king and other would-be contributors will keep the silent majority in mind in deciding about making contributions to the list. i, for one, would have been very happy to see some elaboration of the theory outlined in bob king's posting. bob berk 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed Feb 9 20:38:48 1994 From: mhd@world.std.com (Mark H David) Subject: Michael Wex on Boston Yiddish Hour An interview with Michael Wex will be heard on The Yiddish Hour on Sunday, February 20. Wex discusses his recently published novel, _Schlepping the Exile_ (Mosaic Press, Oakville, Ontario, 1993), which, according to its jacket notes, is "an inside portrait of orthodox, post-Holocaust Judaism in a place that it never expected to be". Michael Wex was born in Lethridge, Alberta, in 1954. In addition to writing and teaching Yiddish, he is a Chaucerian scholar, and, according to his books jacket notes, "a well-known member of the international Yiddish avant-garde". Highlights of the interview include a reading from the novel (in English), as well as a definition of the "Yiddish avant-garde". The Yiddish Hour is heard every Sunday, from 6 to 7 P.M. on Waltham/Brandeis radio station WBRS 100.1 FM. Mark David is host and producer. For further information, contact the producer of The Yiddish Hour, Mark David, by mail at WBRS, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02254, or by telephone at (617) 738-1870. 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu Feb 10 14:50:17 1994 From: Subject: Yiddish source for Russ slang? I have a question. New hip Russian slang borrows heavily from "blatnoy yazyk"--criminal cant, and I was recently told about a new word from this layer "shukher", meaning "look-out", i.e., someone who gives warning about the arrival of police... Apparently it was originally what that person said, i.e., "beat it, the cops!" Sure looks yiddish to me. Any ideas? Jules F. Levin 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu Feb 10 15:19:20 1994 From: Shobbse Dubin Subject : Jewish Diseases I heard that hemmoroids is a Jewish Disease. That is why the Yiddish name is " meer-yiden." Stephen Dubin 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu Feb 10 15:30:53 1994 From: KESSLER Subject: re loose language, mine I regret that I wrote so fast I wrote loosely. Of course, I alluded to Tay-Sachs not because it is a "jewish" disease, but is associated as being of higher frequency among the East European Jewish genetic population, which is why nowadays pregnant Jewish women do well, or are advised so to do, to have amniocentesis early on. As for the Mencken: It was GBS who says in a play that his ancestors were civilized (Ceasar and Cleopatra?) when the British were painting themselves blue with woad. HLM picked it from GBS and gave it a spin. As for Celts, Toynbee speaks of their Volkerwanderung Eastwards about 2500 BC, and that is why Paul addressed Gauls in his Galatians epistles. NO reason why Khazars shouldnt be redheads, if they were the most eastern wing of that ancient migration. And thanks to Shimshoni for giving me back Konya, which blockage I always refer to as a brief doorbell ringing from Uncle Al (zheimer). I keep the door shut as hard as I can. I believe Polo was there on his way East, and Rumi was flourishing. I could check the dates, but wont until I am rich enough to get the Brittanica on line or in CDs, but havent not yet bought the CD for OED, which I yearn for, but which is just out at 900_$ Discount is available by the way for profs, if we can get 10 or 20 together to buy 10 or 20. I would gladly force that though the UCLA bookstore, if 19 of you all would send me the monies...About 10% or a bit more, I gather. Any takers? Or do I have wait for the lottery? Jascha Kessler ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 3.229 To subscribe, send SUB MENDELE FIRSTNAME LASTNAME to: LISTSERV@YALEVM.YCC.YALE.EDU Mendele has 2 rules: 1. Provide a Subject: line. 2. Sign your article. 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