Rumors that Yiddish is a dead language are greatly exaggerated. In fact, both the Yiddish language and culture are alive and well in America and elsewhere. English speakers take note: The Random House Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary both contain almost 100 Yiddish words that are now considered part of the English language. The impact of Yiddish culture is strongly felt in the films of Woody Allen, in Broadway shows like The Producers, and in television sitcoms such as The Nanny and Seinfeld in the tradition of the comic headliners of the Catskills. The world of Yiddish reaches out and embraces us in the literature of Isaac Bashevis Singer and Art Spiegelman, the culinary offerings of innumerable delicatessens, and the renewed popularity of klezmer music.
Yiddish is rich and soulful, thick with pathos, full of humor and self-deprecating wit and sarcasm -- as a language it uniquely captures the essence of what, or who, it describes. If you've ever noshed on a bagel, or yelled at the schmuck who had the chutzpah to cut you off at the traffic light, you've been enriched and empowered by Yiddish.
Beautifully designed and illustrated, Meshuggenary is a deeply researched and eclectic introduction to Yiddish language, culture, and history. It explores the basics of Yiddish vocabulary and grammar; proverbs, expressions, blessings, curses, and insults; and even the difference between Yiddish, Yinglish (Yiddish-origin words now part of English), and Yiddlish (words that sound Yiddish but aren't). There are chapters on Yiddish humor, literature, theater, and music; a who's who of Yiddish luminaries; and a captivating glimpse of the contributions of women to its literature and culture. So you shouldn't go hungry, there's a chapter on food with a tempting selection of family recipes. And if this little taste isn't enough to satisfy you, there's information on a host of books and Yiddish Web sites and Internet links.
Erudite, accessible, highly informative, and enormously entertaining, Meshuggenary is an irresistible pleasure.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
A pleasant mishmash:
Aside from the Yiddish - English dictionary the book has many features explaining various aspects of Yiddish culture. It provides real insight into the cultural world and life of Yiddish speakers. An excellent browsing book.
GET in on the business language:
Today the business world has inherited the language of Yiddish. This is because most small businessmen used to be Jewish or worked with Jewish people. In today's world the businesman might be hispanic or black, but everyone still throws in Yiddish words.
Wouldn't it be nice to know what those words mean. This book will teach you Yiddish terms.
In the process learn about Jewish history and the history of Yiddish. They are not the same. Lean the difference.
I found the book very enlightening. So will... more info
Meshuggenary:
It is always a pleasure to get a little extra. It's even better to get a lot extra! When I read Meshuggenry, not only did it explain many Yiddish expressions that are as American as bagels, I also got a seasoning of the life and spirit that fermented in the world of Yiddish. Take Klezmer music. In a few pages you get a history of its origins and its continual and present reincarnations. Take Yiddish Food and Cooking. A little history, a nosh of Yiddish food terms and some mouth-watering recipes. There are... more info
A Meshuggenary World:
An absolute delight--the authors have produced a very lively academic book (which may well be an oxymoron). I wonder what early Yiddishists would say if they could now see what impact Yiddish (and Yinglish, etc.) have had on American speech, language and culture. I suspect that they would have been amazed at what they, their successors and G_d had wrought. Only in America. And you don't have to be Jewish to kvell at Meshuggenary which is a landmark success. It will not be easy in the years to come to... more info
