Yiddish, a Jewish language of the Germanic family
2
votes
1answer
104 views
What is the meaning of this painting?
I am in possession of this mysterious painting with Hebrew characters, but I do not know what words mean. I suspect that they may provide a clue to what is being represented in each of the painted ...
3
votes
2answers
86 views
What does the word לאַטקעס (latkes) mean?
לאַטקעס is the Yiddish word used for the potato pancakes commonly eaten on Chanukah. Where does the word לאַטקעס come from originally? What exactly does it mean?
4
votes
1answer
110 views
The (female) name Freeda amongst Sefardim
I am under the impression that the name Freeda is a female Yiddish name. For some reason it seems to be very popular amongst the Sephardim. How did this happen?
7
votes
2answers
142 views
Speaking Yiddish vs. the host language at home
I understand that, before World War Ⅱ, the Jews of Hungary and Germany mostly spoke Hungarian and German, respectively, amongst themselves (at home), whereas the Jews of Poland mostly spoke Yiddish ...
3
votes
5answers
715 views
What does Heimishe mean?
Literally it means "homey." My best guess is that it means "midway between Hassidish and Litvak." But given that differences between Hassidim and Litvaks, though they surely exist, are not what they ...
6
votes
3answers
188 views
Difficult phrases in the “Sale of Chametz” document
I am currently working on a clarification of the document which is usually used by rabbis to sell chametz to a non-Jew. The version I am working with is that of Harav hagGaon Avraham Aharon Yudelewitz ...
3
votes
1answer
822 views
Wishes to a mourner in addition to “Hamokom Yenachem Eschem”
I have heard some people say in Yiddish after "Hamokom Yenachem Eschem B'Soch Shaar Aveilei Tzion V'Yerushalayim" ("May God comfort you alongside the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem"), "Zulst Mer Nisht ...
4
votes
2answers
220 views
Etymology of the word “Kvater”
What is the etymology of the word "Kvater"? Kvater is what we call the person that carries the baby boy into a Bris.
4
votes
1answer
331 views
What do the names Pesil, Pesa, and Pesha mean?
What is the meaning and source of the name Pesil or Pesa or Pesha?
4
votes
4answers
158 views
Why do we call praying, Davening?
Why do we call praying Davening? What is the source of this word? Where did this originate?
2
votes
4answers
132 views
What is the English translation of the Yiddish word באווארן?
I'm trying to figure out a good way to say the Yiddish word באווארן in English. We used this a lot in Yeshiva, usually in the context of "to באווארן a question".
To explain:
A statement would be ...
6
votes
1answer
123 views
“Boich sevarah”
There is a common Yiddish phrase used to describe an arbitrary reasoning that is not based on the sources: "Boich sevarah" -- literally, "stomach reasoning." What is the exact meaning of this phrase, ...
3
votes
1answer
191 views
What is the origin of “shul”?
What is the origin of the word "shul", meaning "synagogue"? It seems derived from the German "Schule", meaning "school". Moreover, Italian Jews call synagogues "scuola", which also means "school" ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
Etymology/connection between Ari, Aryeh, Yehudah, Leib, and Leibel
What is the relationship between the following names that often go together is some combination?
Ari/Aryeh
Yehudah
Leib/Leibel
I've encountered many men, young and old, with the following first ...
7
votes
2answers
637 views
Etymology of the Name Feivel
Where does the Jewish name Feivel (or Feivish) come from?
What does it actually mean?
4
votes
2answers
138 views
Copula insertion in “Jewish American vernacular English”
What explains the unnecessary insertion of copulas before Hebrew and Yiddish participles used in English contexts?
For example, why the common formulation "he is yotze" rather than simply "he yotze"?
...
3
votes
2answers
107 views
Etymology of “Grager”
What is the Etymology of “Grager”?
Grager is the noisemaker we use on Purim during the Megila when Haman's name is read.
3
votes
3answers
165 views
Etymology of “Krepel”
What is the Etymology of “Krepel”?
Krepel is a 3 cornered stuffed piece of dough that we eat on Purim, Hoshana Rabah, and Erev Yom Kippur.
2
votes
2answers
461 views
Etymology of “kimpeturin”
What is the etymology of the yiddish term "kimpeturin," which refers to a woman who is recovering after childbirth?
3
votes
3answers
102 views
1
vote
4answers
310 views
Tzanua…Not Tznius!
People often say tznius when they mean to say tzanua. Do you know of any other examples in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Yiddish in which people use the noun but they really mean to use the adjective?
3
votes
2answers
267 views
What's the etymology of the Hassidic term “b'sho'oh” for a chaperoned quasi-date?
I've heard in the Hassidic world, if two families decide that one's young fellow should meet the other's young lady, the couple has a brief, chaperoned, meeting, known as a b'shoh (spelling?), to ...
0
votes
1answer
63 views
Meaning of Yiddish expression [closed]
There is a Yidish expression "Vi Ah Grude Michel" - What does it mean and where did it originate?
5
votes
2answers
87 views
Noach with seven mistakes
There is a pithy Yiddish description for a simple matter that has been massively bungled:
"Noiach mit zibn greizen" -- [The two-letter name] Noach (נח) spelled with seven mistakes.
Does anyone know ...
7
votes
6answers
210 views
3
votes
5answers
286 views
Etymology of “Shtiebel”
Is there an etymological connection between the Yiddish word "shtiebel" and the English word "steeple"? They seem to overlap a lot in usage and pronunciation. A cursory search reveals that "shtiebel" ...
7
votes
1answer
155 views
What does א.ד.ג. stand for in Yiddish?
What does א.ד.ג. stand for in Yiddish? It seems from context that it is the equivalent to etc. but I can't find what it stands for exactly.
For example, this this excerpt from a Hassidic story ...
4
votes
4answers
607 views
4
votes
2answers
215 views
