Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 4.043 June 29, 1994 1) Shabtai Zvi; baleboste (Shuli Berger) 2) Lezn vs. leyene redux (Arre Komar) 3) Name origins (Cal Pryluck) 4) Name origins (Rick Gildemeister) 5) Proposed centre for yiddish and technologic newware (Leybl Botwinik) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue Jun 28 09:17:08 1994 From: sberger@yu1.yu.edu Subject: Shabtai Zvi; baleboste Hugh Kottler inquired as to whether or not Shabtai Zvi's fame spread to Ashkenaz.The Memoirs of Glueckel of Hameln (originally written in Judeo-German, according to the introduction) include a vivid description of the joy of the Jews of Hamburg when news of Shabtai Zvi came.Glueckel's father-in-law even packed in expectation of leaving for Israel.An English edition of the memoirs was published by Schocken in 1977. I know there was a discussion of this recently on Mendele, but I don't remember the outcome - namely is it possible to somehow access the files of the Groyser Verterbukh.I've been doing some research where the term bableboste keeps cropping up, and I'd like to know if the term may have a class or economic status connotation.Does anyone have any relevant citations or examples?Thank you. Shuli Berger 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 28 Jun 1994 16:33:29 -0400 (EDT) From: komar@yu1.yu.edu Subject: lezn vs. leyene redux Sorry khaver Daniel-Moshe, even though there is no real objection to synonyms coming from the same linguistic route, unfortunately for your theory, while lezn is from the German, if you check Wienreich you will learn that leyenen is from Italian/Romance rather than from German. Not only no cigar, not even close! Try again. (But shouldn't there be some concern that your conclusion is independent of your reasoning?) Arre Komar 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon Jun 27 23:17:47 1994 From: pryluck@vm.temple.edu Subject: name origins "Americanization" of immigrant names was a common practice on the part of the immigration agents (many I suspect themselves the children of immigrants). One of the customers in my father's drug store was a man named Walsh who spoke English with a heavy Russian-Jewish accent. The story was that in the old country the name was Valshevsky. Late in the 19th century an immigrant named Shmuel Gleibfiszh (or something close) was assigned the name "Goldfish." It was as Samuel Goldfish that he became a leading figure in early motion picture history. He subsequently went into partnership with Broadway producer bothers named Selwyn in a firm styled "Goldwyn Studios." Whatever else he got out of the partnership he kept the name. My family got off pretty easily in these matters. "Priluk" is a fairly common name in Poland. The re-spelling of our name is unusual in this country, yet recognized by Poles as being a Polish name. Cal Pryluck 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue Jun 28 08:49:21 1994 From: EEGLC%CUNYVM.bitnet@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu Subject: Name origins To Leah Zazulyer: I know someone whose name is Zogott. Her family was originally from Kurland. She told me that the German version of her name (Kurland under Russian domination was still an area where the middle class on up were native German speakers, likewise Latvia and Estonia) was Saget. I used to drive to work everyday; I always liked to muse on names on trucks. There was another variation of this name I used to see frequently, but it escapes me now. The shift of accent, if indeed these names are related, I can't explain. Rick Gildemeister 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue Jun 28 11:57:11 1994 From: leybl@telecomm.tadiran.co.il Subject: re: proposed centre for yiddish and technologic newware 1) answer to david sherman: > Where are you proposing that this Centre be located? < The exact location is not so important. It should, however be in Israel. I would like it to be in Netanya (where I live). and there are a lot of good reasons for this. But I'm flexible. There is no reason, why there shouldn't be other Centres around the world. I heard that the National Yiddish Book Centre is planning on a similar Centre. Though there are marked differences in scope & purpose, I fully support the setting up of the new NYBC Centre in Maine (?). 2) answers to howard gershen: [a] - individuals & institutions offering 'moral' support: So far, I have received official letters of support from: - Dvorah Atzmon, Daniel Galai, HEMSHEKH DOR -- OHAVEI YIDDISH, Israel - Dovid Botwinik, Musician and well known yiddishist, Montreal - Isaac (yitzhak) Luden, editor of LEBNS-FRAGN, Israel - Horav, Dr. Heshil Klepfish, Jerusalem - Mordkhe Dunitz, Inspector for Yiddish, Ministry of Education, Israel - Alan Schneider, Director, Bnai Brith World Centre, Jerusalem I have received official verbal support from: Mordkhe Tzanin, Chairman, Union of Yiddish Writers&Journalists, Israel. Prof. Isaac Varshavsky, Chairman, World Council for Yiddish, Israel I have received unofficial verbal support from many others, including: Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky, Hava-Lapin, Yossl Mlotek, Naomi Kadar, Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter, Hershl Glazer, Aaron Korzen (Chairman of AACI Netanya), and others. -- I am expecting official (written) replies before I can include them as 'official supporters'==> some of them need to debate the proposal at comittee meetings. And this may take a while. I have sent the proposal (and not yet received any reply) to such as: Steven Spielberg (film Director), Dr. Dovid Katz, Aaron Lansky, Raymond Kurzweil (Speech/Pattern recognition 'wizard')... etc. Note, most copies of the the proposal were sent out just over a month ago. But many copies were sent out only two weeks ago. There is no 'Board of Directors' yet. {>>> see next paragraph <<<} [b] operating budget: probably many millions $$ ?? [c] tax-exempt status: would be nice, but not applicable, i think. One of the things which is not clear to people is, that the Centre concept incorporates both a 'cultural institution' and a 'business'. It's difficult to pinpoint where the two overlap, and how thay will interact. In simple terms, one might look at it as a 'library', a 'store', and a 'production-studio'. The commercial side of this is very important. The Centre must become self-sufficient in order to operate, and continue. Thus, a business plan is being prepared to interest Venture capital for investing overall, and for specific projects. (project specs also being developed). Unfortunately, I'm doing almost all the work alone. I have specific professional advisors volunteering some of their time on Legal, Accounting, Marketing and other Technical matters. And I have others volunteering as Advisors on Socio-Cultural matters. I would appreciate all the help I can get, including outlines of specific project proposals which mendele-subscribers would like to see developed. **** There is no 'Board of Directors' yet. I have several people in **** **** mind, and would appreciate suggestions and volunteers. **** **** Would you like to be involved ? **** [d] iso & ascii characters sets for yiddish: hadn't thought of that. But I won't let it stop me. I suppose, we could temporarily (or even permanently) work in conjunction with the Hebrew character set. And, although I'm thinking of a transliteration project, for the Centre, data storage costs are plummetting all the time. I don't think it's a major worry. ====================================================== Now, a personal note to mendele readers. I would appreciate contact in Yiddish. I guess I started on the wrong footing, but I'm not used to writing in Yiddish using English characters. If you write me in English, I will answer you in English. oyb ir shraybt in transliterirtn yidish, vel ikh aykh entfern af yidish. leybl botwinik ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 4.043 A Table of Contents is now available via anonymous ftp, along with weekly updates. Anonymous ftp archives available on: ftp.mendele.trincoll.edu in the directory pub/mendele/files Archives available via gopher on: gopher.cic.net Mendele has 2 rules: 1. Provide a meaningful Subject: line. 2. Sign your article. Send articles to: mendele@yalevm.ycc.yale.edu Other business: nmiller@mail.trincoll.edu