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How to say "fool" in Yiddish
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mos...@mm.huji.ac.il
Jan 26, 2012, 7:37:26 AM1/26/12
to
I got this from Dvora, bless her heart. About as ON-topic as possible.
Legend has it that Eskimos (Inuit) have hundreds of words to describe
snow. We Jews have hundreds of words for "pains in the neck."
.
Among the many majesties of Yiddish, is its magical ability to turn
words into an emotional thesaurus. Both the "good" and the "bad" alike
are not merely "said." No. They're felt - in all their subtle nuance and
multiple meanings. This is never more true then when we're talking about
a "fool" or a "nudnek," a "shliemel," or a "schnook." Face it. We Jews
don't bear fools lightly. Who had time?
.
So is it surprising that we have more words in Yiddish for fools than
there are Golden Arches? These words are so delicious, many have become
part of American jargon. Do you have the story about these words, and
what they truly mean? In case you don't, as a public service, we from
Jewlarious are proud to present the first ... Yiddish-Yinglish
Dictionary of Fools
--------------------------------------------------------
Bulvan:An ox,--- with no class. He'll move your house on his back -
without asking. .
.
Chaim Yankel:---A mister nobody. His favorite color is beige.
.
Chaleria:---A shrew. If her pastrami's fatty, she'll make a federal
case.
.
Chazzer:---A pig: He'll take home the cheap wine he brought you for
Passover.
.
Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
.
Eingeshparht:---He's got a head like a rock.
.
Gantseh Makher:---He made a few bucks selling whoopie cushions, so
suddenly he's Trump. Synonym: K'nocker
.
Gonif:---Unscrupulous, a thief. His partner's sent out an APB.
.
Grubber yung:---Crude. A big mouth who has dirt (from grabbing) under
his fingernails.
.
Klutz:---Clumsy. She falls over her own sneakers- fastened with Velco.
.
Kvetch:---A whiner. The food's salty, the place is chilly, eating out
-who needs it?
.
Luftmensch:---A dreamer - who never wakes up. He could paint a
masterpiece, if only he had an easel - and knew how.
.
Meshugener:---A loony. Whether he thinks his underwear is after him or
barrels over Niagra Falls, he's one letter short of an M&M.
.
Moishe Kapoyr:---Today he'd be called "oppositional." The family votes
to hold the reunion in Vegas. He votes for Vilna.
.
Nar:---He left his law practice to become a clown.
.
Nayfish:---A doormat. When he's robbed, he apologizes for being short on
cash.
.
Nebekh:---A hapless unfortunate. He gets stepped on by accident a lot.
.
Nuchshlepper:---A hanger-on. She shleps the 200 pound camping gear for
the group.
.
Nudnik:---A persistent bore. She doesn't stop with the talking, the
asking, the annoying till you want to staple her lips together.
.
Nudzh:---A pesty badgerer. She tells you twelve times to check the
locks. Unlike the nudnik, it could be an occasional occurrence.
.
Ongeblussen:---A self-involved blowhard. If his last name is Moses, he
thinks the Bible gave him a mention.
.
Oysvorf:---Unpopular outcast. Think David Duke at a Hadassah meeting.
.
Paskudnyak:---A revolting, corrupt person. For him, there would be a
very short funeral.
.
Shikker:---A drunk. She has a little chaser with her Cheerios.
.
Shlemiel:---A pathetic, clumsy loser. He drives over - through your
living room.
.
Shlimazel:---An unlucky loser. He's the one the shlemiel was visiting.
.
Shlump:---Unkempt, saggy. She shleps, stooped, with her hair in strings.
.
Shmeggege:---And idiotic doofus. Short of a "meshuganah," he's sure
he'll make a killing with his musical toilet seat ... and acts like a
makher about it. .
.
Shmendrik:---Nincompoop. A fraternal twin to a shlemiel, he's thinner
and weaker.
.
Shnook:A likeable patsy. You could sell him a time-share in Area 51, and
he'll pay top dollar - for vacationing on an historical site.
.
Shnorror:---A beggar. He's forever borrowing, taking advantage. Bad for
a potluck party.
.
Trombenik:---A lazy braggart. Not only does he blow his own horn, he
doesn't own one.
.
Yuchna:--A loud-mouthed, boorish female. In Loehmann's dressing room
she'll yell "It would fit if you lost a few pounds!"
.
Yutz:---Socially inept. He takes you to a restaurant with a clown face
and spends the evening discussing his train collection.
.
Zshlub:---Lazy slob. He shows up with schmutz on his untucked shirt. To
Archie Bunker, "meathead" looked like a zshlub when he met him -
although he'd never say it.
---------------------------------------------------------
.
Marnie Winston-Macauley is the author of Yiddishe Mamas: The Truth About
the Jewish Mother" and the award-winning "A Little Joy, A Little Oy"
2008 calendar. Her 2009 calendar can be pre-ordered on Amazon.
.
Author Biography:
Marnie is author of the advice column, "Ask Sadie." She has written over
20 books and calendars, including, "Yiddishe Mamas: The Truth About the
Jewish Mother" and "A Little Joy, A Little Oy." She wrote for "As the
World Turns," (Emmy and Writers Guild nomination). She starred in her
own radio show and a Discovery pilot. Marnie is in "Who's Who in
America," 2007.
----------------------------------
Enjoy
--
Moshe Schorr
It is a tremendous Mitzvah to always be happy! - Reb Nachman of Breslov
The home and family are the center of Judaism, *not* the synagogue.
May Eliezer Mordichai b. Chaya Sheina Rochel have a refuah shlaimah
btoch sha'ar cholei Yisroel.
Disclaimer: Nothing here necessarily reflects the opinion of Hebrew University
Legend has it that Eskimos (Inuit) have hundreds of words to describe
snow. We Jews have hundreds of words for "pains in the neck."
.
Among the many majesties of Yiddish, is its magical ability to turn
words into an emotional thesaurus. Both the "good" and the "bad" alike
are not merely "said." No. They're felt - in all their subtle nuance and
multiple meanings. This is never more true then when we're talking about
a "fool" or a "nudnek," a "shliemel," or a "schnook." Face it. We Jews
don't bear fools lightly. Who had time?
.
So is it surprising that we have more words in Yiddish for fools than
there are Golden Arches? These words are so delicious, many have become
part of American jargon. Do you have the story about these words, and
what they truly mean? In case you don't, as a public service, we from
Jewlarious are proud to present the first ... Yiddish-Yinglish
Dictionary of Fools
--------------------------------------------------------
Bulvan:An ox,--- with no class. He'll move your house on his back -
without asking. .
.
Chaim Yankel:---A mister nobody. His favorite color is beige.
.
Chaleria:---A shrew. If her pastrami's fatty, she'll make a federal
case.
.
Chazzer:---A pig: He'll take home the cheap wine he brought you for
Passover.
.
Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
.
Eingeshparht:---He's got a head like a rock.
.
Gantseh Makher:---He made a few bucks selling whoopie cushions, so
suddenly he's Trump. Synonym: K'nocker
.
Gonif:---Unscrupulous, a thief. His partner's sent out an APB.
.
Grubber yung:---Crude. A big mouth who has dirt (from grabbing) under
his fingernails.
.
Klutz:---Clumsy. She falls over her own sneakers- fastened with Velco.
.
Kvetch:---A whiner. The food's salty, the place is chilly, eating out
-who needs it?
.
Luftmensch:---A dreamer - who never wakes up. He could paint a
masterpiece, if only he had an easel - and knew how.
.
Meshugener:---A loony. Whether he thinks his underwear is after him or
barrels over Niagra Falls, he's one letter short of an M&M.
.
Moishe Kapoyr:---Today he'd be called "oppositional." The family votes
to hold the reunion in Vegas. He votes for Vilna.
.
Nar:---He left his law practice to become a clown.
.
Nayfish:---A doormat. When he's robbed, he apologizes for being short on
cash.
.
Nebekh:---A hapless unfortunate. He gets stepped on by accident a lot.
.
Nuchshlepper:---A hanger-on. She shleps the 200 pound camping gear for
the group.
.
Nudnik:---A persistent bore. She doesn't stop with the talking, the
asking, the annoying till you want to staple her lips together.
.
Nudzh:---A pesty badgerer. She tells you twelve times to check the
locks. Unlike the nudnik, it could be an occasional occurrence.
.
Ongeblussen:---A self-involved blowhard. If his last name is Moses, he
thinks the Bible gave him a mention.
.
Oysvorf:---Unpopular outcast. Think David Duke at a Hadassah meeting.
.
Paskudnyak:---A revolting, corrupt person. For him, there would be a
very short funeral.
.
Shikker:---A drunk. She has a little chaser with her Cheerios.
.
Shlemiel:---A pathetic, clumsy loser. He drives over - through your
living room.
.
Shlimazel:---An unlucky loser. He's the one the shlemiel was visiting.
.
Shlump:---Unkempt, saggy. She shleps, stooped, with her hair in strings.
.
Shmeggege:---And idiotic doofus. Short of a "meshuganah," he's sure
he'll make a killing with his musical toilet seat ... and acts like a
makher about it. .
.
Shmendrik:---Nincompoop. A fraternal twin to a shlemiel, he's thinner
and weaker.
.
Shnook:A likeable patsy. You could sell him a time-share in Area 51, and
he'll pay top dollar - for vacationing on an historical site.
.
Shnorror:---A beggar. He's forever borrowing, taking advantage. Bad for
a potluck party.
.
Trombenik:---A lazy braggart. Not only does he blow his own horn, he
doesn't own one.
.
Yuchna:--A loud-mouthed, boorish female. In Loehmann's dressing room
she'll yell "It would fit if you lost a few pounds!"
.
Yutz:---Socially inept. He takes you to a restaurant with a clown face
and spends the evening discussing his train collection.
.
Zshlub:---Lazy slob. He shows up with schmutz on his untucked shirt. To
Archie Bunker, "meathead" looked like a zshlub when he met him -
although he'd never say it.
---------------------------------------------------------
.
Marnie Winston-Macauley is the author of Yiddishe Mamas: The Truth About
the Jewish Mother" and the award-winning "A Little Joy, A Little Oy"
2008 calendar. Her 2009 calendar can be pre-ordered on Amazon.
.
Author Biography:
Marnie is author of the advice column, "Ask Sadie." She has written over
20 books and calendars, including, "Yiddishe Mamas: The Truth About the
Jewish Mother" and "A Little Joy, A Little Oy." She wrote for "As the
World Turns," (Emmy and Writers Guild nomination). She starred in her
own radio show and a Discovery pilot. Marnie is in "Who's Who in
America," 2007.
----------------------------------
Enjoy
--
Moshe Schorr
It is a tremendous Mitzvah to always be happy! - Reb Nachman of Breslov
The home and family are the center of Judaism, *not* the synagogue.
May Eliezer Mordichai b. Chaya Sheina Rochel have a refuah shlaimah
btoch sha'ar cholei Yisroel.
Disclaimer: Nothing here necessarily reflects the opinion of Hebrew University
sheldonlg
Jan 26, 2012, 9:43:17 AM1/26/12
to
(The last time I heard any Yiddish spoken was 60 years ago -- and then I
didn't understand it.)
--
Shelly
cindys
Jan 26, 2012, 11:57:46 AM1/26/12
to
On Jan 26, 7:37 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
snip
according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
> .
> Ongeblussen:---A self-involved blowhard. If his last name is Moses, he
> thinks the Bible gave him a mention.
And here, my mother always used this word to mean blown up with anger,
(as opposed to a pompous person as the above definition suggests).
When I would tell one of my kids something that he didn't want to
hear, and he would not respond but his face would turn red, and then
he would storm off to his room and slam the door -- I would say to my
husband, "He's ongeblussen."
Has anyone else ever heard the two above phrases used the way I have
described?
Best regards,
---Cindy S.
snip
> .
> Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
> Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
> .
> Ongeblussen:---A self-involved blowhard. If his last name is Moses, he
> thinks the Bible gave him a mention.
(as opposed to a pompous person as the above definition suggests).
When I would tell one of my kids something that he didn't want to
hear, and he would not respond but his face would turn red, and then
he would storm off to his room and slam the door -- I would say to my
husband, "He's ongeblussen."
Has anyone else ever heard the two above phrases used the way I have
described?
Best regards,
---Cindy S.
sheldonlg
Jan 26, 2012, 12:08:15 PM1/26/12
to
On 1/26/2012 11:57 AM, cindys wrote:
> On Jan 26, 7:37 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>
> snip
> > .
>> Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
>
> I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
> according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
> confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
> head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
> of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
I knew this as f'drayt'kup. It encompassed both the above and your
> On Jan 26, 7:37 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>
> snip
> > .
>> Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
>
> I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
> according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
> confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
> head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
> of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
understanding, but much more so in the way described in the definition.
--
Shelly
cindys
Jan 26, 2012, 12:13:40 PM1/26/12
to
When my sister and I were kids, and we were arguing with my mother and
driving her crazy, she would sometimes say: "Go ferdray your own
kup." (I think this is Yinglish :-).
Best regards,
---Cindy S.
Herman Rubin
Jan 27, 2012, 2:39:15 PM1/27/12
to
On 2012-01-26, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il <mos...@mm.huji.ac.il> wrote:
> I got this from Dvora, bless her heart. About as ON-topic as possible.
It is a good list of undesirable types, but not all are
> I got this from Dvora, bless her heart. About as ON-topic as possible.
fools. For example, I do not consider a chazzer to be a
fool, nor do I agree with the example. Similarly, for
ganif. Nor is a kvetch or a klutz necessarily a fool.
These may all be "pains in the neck", but the above and
many others are not necessarily fools.
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hru...@stat.purdue.edu Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558
mos...@mm.huji.ac.il
Jan 29, 2012, 1:46:24 AM1/29/12
to
cindys <cst...@rochester.rr.com> writes:
> On Jan 26, 7:37=A0am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>
> snip
I'm with you on "Draycup" and with the OP on "Ongeblussen".
> On Jan 26, 7:37=A0am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>
> snip
mm
Jan 29, 2012, 11:26:21 AM1/29/12
to
On Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:46:24 +0000 (UTC), mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>cindys <cst...@rochester.rr.com> writes:
>> On Jan 26, 7:37=A0am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>>
>> snip
>
>>> Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
>>
>> I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
>> according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
>> confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
>> head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
>> of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
>>
>> > .
>>> Ongeblussen:---A self-involved blowhard. If his last name is Moses, he
>>> thinks the Bible gave him a mention.
>>
>> And here, my mother always used this word to mean blown up with anger,
>> (as opposed to a pompous person as the above definition suggests).
>> When I would tell one of my kids something that he didn't want to
>> hear, and he would not respond but his face would turn red, and then
>> he would storm off to his room and slam the door -- I would say to my
>> husband, "He's ongeblussen."
>>
>> Has anyone else ever heard the two above phrases used the way I have
>> described?
>
>I'm with you on "Draycup" and with the OP on "Ongeblussen".
I don't remember getting angry when I was litttle, but my mother used
>cindys <cst...@rochester.rr.com> writes:
>> On Jan 26, 7:37=A0am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>>
>> snip
>
>>> Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
>>
>> I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
>> according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
>> confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
>> head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
>> of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
>>
>> > .
>>> Ongeblussen:---A self-involved blowhard. If his last name is Moses, he
>>> thinks the Bible gave him a mention.
>>
>> And here, my mother always used this word to mean blown up with anger,
>> (as opposed to a pompous person as the above definition suggests).
>> When I would tell one of my kids something that he didn't want to
>> hear, and he would not respond but his face would turn red, and then
>> he would storm off to his room and slam the door -- I would say to my
>> husband, "He's ongeblussen."
>>
>> Has anyone else ever heard the two above phrases used the way I have
>> described?
>
>I'm with you on "Draycup" and with the OP on "Ongeblussen".
to call me ongeblussen when I was crying.
Q
Jan 29, 2012, 1:01:48 PM1/29/12
to
My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
didn't like.
Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
-- Q
On Jan 29, 1:46 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
didn't like.
Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
-- Q
On Jan 29, 1:46 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
mos...@mm.huji.ac.il
Jan 30, 2012, 2:50:06 AM1/30/12
to
Q <quon...@yahoo.com> writes:
> My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
> didn't like.
>
> Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
I never heard of it.
> My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
> didn't like.
>
> Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
Glad to see you posting.
Fattush
Jan 30, 2012, 9:34:48 AM1/30/12
to
On Jan 26, 11:57 am, cindys <cste...@rochester.rr.com> wrote:
> On Jan 26, 7:37 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>
> snip
> > .
>
> > Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
>
> I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
> according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
> confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
> head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
> of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
Your comments reminded me of the word "shmatacup" which I assume means
> On Jan 26, 7:37 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>
> snip
> > .
>
> > Draycup:---She one not only forgot her address, she's in the wrong city.
>
> I think this literally means "head spin." I have never heard it used
> according to the above definition (which suggests that the draycup is
> confused). To me, a "draycup" has always been someone who makes your
> head spin, i.e., goes on and on and on, arguing a point to the point
> of driving you crazy, i.e., the draycup drives *other people* crazy.
someone who has rags for brains. i.e. The Scarecrow in the Wizard of
Oz.
Q
Jan 30, 2012, 12:36:37 PM1/30/12
to
On Jan 30, 2:50 am, mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
I suppose the fact that I recognized every epithet on Dvora's list
says quite a bit about the household I grew up in.
"Pyoik" will just have to remain a mystery. Maybe it was local to one
of the places my grandparents came from.
-- Q
> Q <quond...@yahoo.com> writes:
> > My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
> > didn't like.
>
> > Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
>
> I never heard of it.
>
> Glad to see you posting.
Thanks, Moshe.
> > My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
> > didn't like.
>
> > Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
>
> I never heard of it.
>
> Glad to see you posting.
I suppose the fact that I recognized every epithet on Dvora's list
says quite a bit about the household I grew up in.
"Pyoik" will just have to remain a mystery. Maybe it was local to one
of the places my grandparents came from.
-- Q
mos...@mm.huji.ac.il
Jan 31, 2012, 2:09:47 AM1/31/12
to
Q <quon...@yahoo.com> writes:
> mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>> Q <quond...@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>> > My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
>> > didn't like.
>>
>> > Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
>>
>> I never heard of it.
>>
>> Glad to see you posting.
>
> Thanks, Moshe.
>
> I suppose the fact that I recognized every epithet on Dvora's list
> says quite a bit about the household I grew up in.
Whatever it says about yours, it says about mine then, because I
> mos...@mm.huji.ac.il wrote:
>> Q <quond...@yahoo.com> writes:
>
>> > My parents used to use the word "pyoik" as an epithet for a fool they
>> > didn't like.
>>
>> > Has anybody ever heard of this word? I'm not finding it on Google.
>>
>> I never heard of it.
>>
>> Glad to see you posting.
>
> Thanks, Moshe.
>
> I suppose the fact that I recognized every epithet on Dvora's list
> says quite a bit about the household I grew up in.
also recognized them. :-)
> "Pyoik" will just have to remain a mystery. Maybe it was local
> to one of the places my grandparents came from.
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