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{{about|English words in Yiddish|the opposite|Yiddish words used by English-speaking Jews}}
#REDIRECT [[Yiddish words used in English#Yinglish]] {{R from Merge}}{{R to section}}

{{Refimprove|date=June 2008}}
'''Yinglish''' words (also referred to colloquially as '''Hebronics''') are [[neologisms]] created by speakers of [[Yiddish]] in [[English language|English]]-speaking countries, sometimes to describe things that were uncommon in the old country. [[Leo Rosten]]'s book ''[[The Joys of Yiddish]]''<ref>[[Leo Rosten|Rosten, Leo]]. ''[[The Joys of Yiddish]]'', Pocket Books/Washington Square Press, 1970 (first edition 1968). ISBN 0-671-72813-X</ref> uses the words ''Yinglish'' and ''Ameridish'' to describe new words, or new meanings of existing Yiddish words, created by English-speaking persons with some knowledge of Yiddish. Rosten defines "Yinglish" as "Yiddish words that are used in colloquial English" (such as ''kibitzer)''<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. ix.</ref> and Ameridish as words coined by Jews in the United States;<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. x.</ref> his use, however, is sometimes inconsistent. According to his definition on page x, ''alrightnik'' is an Ameridish word; however, on page 12 it is identified as Yinglish.

''The Joys of Yiddish'' describes the following words as Yinglish except where noted as Ameridish:

* '''alrightnik''', '''alrightnikeh''', '''alrightnitseh'''&nbsp;– male, female, female individual who has been successful; ''nouveau riche''<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. 12.</ref>
* '''bleib shver''' &nbsp;– from German ''bleibt schwer'', meaning ''remains difficult'' - unresolved problem, especially in [[Talmud]] learning
* '''[[blintz]]''' (Yinglish because the true Yiddish is ''blintzeh'')<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. 42.</ref>
* '''bluffer''', '''blufferkeh'''&nbsp;– male, female person who bluffs<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. 43.</ref>
* '''boarderkeh''', '''bordekeh'''&nbsp;– (Ameridish) female paying boarder<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. 44.</ref>
* '''boychick''', '''boychikel''', '''boychiklekh''' – young boy, kiddo, handsome<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. 49.</ref>
* '''bulbenik''' (Ameridish)&nbsp;– an actor who muffs his lines, from ''bilbul'' - mixup (alternative theory - ''bulba'', literally ''potato'', figuratively ''error'')<ref>Rosten, op. cit., p. 56.</ref>
* '''bummerkeh''' (Ameridish)&nbsp;– a female bum
* '''cockamamy''' false, ersatz, crazy (of an idea), artificial, jury-rigged (prob. from Eng. "decalcomania," a "decal," a sticker, a cheap process for transferring images from paper to glass.) In the Bronx, in the first half of the 20th century, a "cockamamie" was a washable temporary "tattoo" distributed in bubblegum packets.
* '''donstairsikeh''', '''donstairsiker'''&nbsp;– female, male living downstairs
* '''dresske'''&nbsp;– bargain-basement dress
* '''[[United States five-dollar bill|fin]]'''&nbsp;– five, or five-dollar bill, shortened form of Yiddish ''finif'' (five)
* '''[[kosher]]'''&nbsp;– Yinglish, not in its religious or Yiddish meanings, but only in five slang senses: authentic, trustworthy, legitimate, fair, and approved by a higher source. Its pronunciation, as "''kōsher''", is another distinguishing factor, as in true Yiddish it is pronounced "''kūsher''" or "''kösher''"
* '''mensch'''&nbsp;– a person of uncommon maturity and decency
* '''nextdoorekeh''', '''nextdooreker'''&nbsp;– female, male living next door
* '''opstairsikeh''', '''opstairsiker''' (Ameridish)&nbsp;– female, male living upstairs
* '''pisha paysha'''&nbsp;– corruption of English card game "Pitch and [[Patience (game)|Patience]]"
* '''sharopnikel''' (Ameridish)&nbsp;– a small object that causes quieting, such as a [[pacifier]], teething ring
* '''shmegegge''' (Ameridish)&nbsp;– an unadmirable or untalented person
* '''shmo''' – shortened version of 'shmock' or 'shmearal', see 'shnuk'
* '''shnuk''' (Ameridish) – an idiotic person
* '''tararam''' – a big '''tummel'''
* '''[[Buttocks|Tuchas]]''' – buttocks

==See also==
* [[History_of_the_Jews_in_Scotland#.22Scots-Yiddish.22|Scots-Yiddish]]
* [[Denglisch]]
* [[Ashkenazi Hebrew]]
* [[Coffee Talk]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Yiddish_Words/yiddish_words.html A nice list of choice Yiddish/Ameridish words]
*[http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/video/yiddish-revival-more-spicy-yinglish Video: More than Spicy Yinglish] at the [http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org Yiddish Book Center]

{{Jewish languages}}

[[Category:Yiddish language]]
[[Category:Jewish languages]]

Latest revision as of 14:04, 4 November 2024

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