Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ____________________________________________________
Contents of Vol. 22.003 June 25, 2012 1) poyer/know-it-all (Leonard Fox) 2) know-it-all (Eliezer Greisdorf) 3) know-it-all (Leybl Goldberg) 4) know-it-all (Morrie Feller) 5) reb(b)e (Oron Joffe) 6) lekakh (Oron Joffe) 7) "Glikl Hameln" sought (Irwin Keller) 8) announcement of translation website (Jane Peppler) 9) identifying Yidl mitn fidl, Elyakum mitn bas (Ruthie Wilnai) 10) spelling of "tseyakhmert" (Shimke Levine) 1)---------------------------------------------------- 1) Date: May 25 Subject: poyer/know-it-all Jules Levin (Mendele Vol. 22.001) asks about the etymology of "poyer," "peasant." It comes from the German word "Bauer," also meaning "peasant." Barbara Krasner, in the same issue of Mendele, asks about a Yiddish term for "know-it-all." The word would be "kolboynik." Leonard Fox 2)---------------------------------------------------- Subject: know-it-all Date: June 3 The closest I can think of for a "know it all" is a "groyser makher." Also, I believe that a groyser kapelush (a formal hat which was commonly worn by a gentleman back in the thirties) makher also means something similar. Eliezer Greisdorf 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: May 25 Subject: know-it-all Barbara Krasner inquired (April 26, 2012; Mendele Vol 22.001) about ways to express the idea of a "know-it-all" or "pompous ass." One way to describe a pedant is by using ONBLOZN ZIKH (VI AN INDIK) "to puff oneself up (like a peacock/male guinea fowl)." ER BLOZT ZIKH ON (VI AN INDIK) AN ONGEBLOZENER Leybl Goldberg 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: May 25 Subject: know-it-all I would suggest "a gantser meyvn." Morrie Feller 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: May 26 Subject: reb(b)e The spelling is a moot point, although in YIVO transliteration is would be rebe. Both vowels are pronounced. The reason why the word is sometimes transliterated with two b's is that it is of Hebrew origin, and in Hebrew, the b has a dagesh, which indicates a doubling of the letter, or in this case a "hard"pronunciation (i.e. B not V). Oron Joffe 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: May 26 Subject: lekakh I don't know the song, but a quick Google search brings up the expression, e.g. at http://inmolaraan.blogspot.co.uk/2005/10/blog-post_26.html Lekakh, in this case is the Hebrew word for lesson (esp. a moral lesson) rather than Lekekh, honey cake. Oron Joffe 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 6 Subject: "Glikl Hameln" sought Hello folks, I teach a monthly Yiddish Tish in Sonoma County, California. I wanted to bring in a text specimen from Glikl of Hamlin. I've been hunting on line, but have only been able to find her words in translation - including one translation into "modern Yiddish." Does anyone have an idea about where I can look to find an excerpt in the original, either online (yay!) or for purchase (okay, fine)? A dank. Irwin Keller 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 1 Subject: announcement of translation website Hello friends, I've waited for a long time for somebody to start a site like this and finally decided to do it myself. It's just a few days old. http://yiddishintranslation.com I want to collect all historic and current translations of Yiddish books into English at this site, and if the translations are currently available, either for sale or for free online, I will link to those purchase opportunities. Eventually I will add a search mechanism and also the names of the Yiddish works in standard YIVO transliteration but for now, if you have a list of English translations of Yiddish books, or have done some yourself or know somebody who has, please let me know at [email protected] and I will add them to my list, which is very short so far! If you know of someone who has already done this work please let me know - I would like to avoid duplicating others' efforts. I would also be happy to add a section for translations which are in progress. My main concern is for potential translators to avoid duplicating efforts when there are so many wonderful works that have never seen the light of day in English. Jane Peppler 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 9 Subject: identifying Yidl mitn fidl, Elyakum mitn bas Dear Researchers! In the Rakov Yizkor book my mother's uncle, Yehuda Lifshitz, tells the following story: "I had two uncles, my father's brothers. Both of them were, during their time, famous musicians. One of them was Yudl Lifshitz. I am named after him. He was a famous violinst and a conductor in the Nikolaiv regiment of Kiev. The other brother was Josef Lifshitz. He was maestro of many musical instruments. He got, at the time, the prize of the conservatorium of St. Petersburg for composing a famous music. It is a tradition in our family that the song "Yudl with the Violin, Elyakim with the Bass" is a composition written by Josef Lifshitz about his brother Yudl." When I searched the internet for the song I found a site in the Hebrew Wikipedia, where there is a reference to the song, but the words of the songs are related to Izik Manger. Does any of the readers have any advice how can I search for the fate of the two brothers? Is there a possibility to verify the story in Kiev Military Orchestra History? Is there any possibility to verify the part of the story about St. Petersbug Conservatorium? Any idea is welcomed. Thanks, Ruthie Wilnai 10)---------------------------------------------------- Subject: spelling of "tseyakhmert" Date: May 26 The Yiddish On-Line Dictionary, using Yivo transliteration, writes "tseiakhmert" (one of the responses when one types in "upset"). Shouldn't this be "tseyakhmert"? Shimke Levine ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 20.003 Please do not use the "reply" key when writing to Mendele. Instead, direct your mail as follows: Material for postings to Mendele Yiddish literature and language, i.e. inquiries and comments of a non-commercial or publicity nature: [email protected] IMPORTANT: Please include your full name as you would like it to appear in your posting. No posting will appear without its author's name. Submissions to regular Mendele should not include personal email addresses, as responses will be posted for all to read. They must also include the author's name as you would like it to appear. 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