40 Yiddish words you should know

[AdamSmith]

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-yiddish-handbook-40-words-you-should-know/

As a goy I found two or three new words here and some nice shadings in several of the definitions.

Currently suffering as my Yiddish phrase book is buried in a box somewhere in the basement.

[lookin]

Even as a fellow goy, I find it odd they mention gevalt only peripherally.

I think it was one of Leo Rosten's funny stories about a Jewish woman whose family changed their name, became Episcopalian, moved to Connecticut, and joined the country club.

One afternoon, lunching with her waspy ladies group, the waiter spilled hot soup down her cleavage. "Gevalt!" was out of her mouth before she could think. As all heads swiveled toward her, she added demurely, "Whatever that means."

[AdamSmith]

Thank you! That reminded me that it's Rosten's The Joys of Yiddish that languisheth in the basement.

[ihpguy]

How can they not have had "putz?"

And one my sister and I came up with is Schlockeria - A store that sells schlock.

My Mom who passed away this February and grew up speaking yiddish at home always used the word "petrave" as a mixture of different things. For example, heating up a pot of a mixture of leftovers from the fridge. Or the leftovers mixed together from the remnants in a few bottles of salad dressing mixed with whatever else.

[lookin]

Chazerai would have made my list too. Literally pig food, but useful for just about anything disgusting.

I like the visuals conjured up by Yiddish words. I could carry a bag of groceries home easily enough, but it packs a lot more punch if I shlep it.

Plus they're fun to say. As Ihpguy says, putz should be on the list and it's much more fun to say than plain old penis or dick. Even dickwad isn't as much fun. And chutzpah! If you have any phlegm in your throat before you say it, you won't when you're done.

[AdamSmith]

One of my favorites -- especially as I myself am now one, or all but -- is alta caca.

Old fart. Literally 'old shit,' no?