Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 12.006 October 7, 2002 1) Sheva Zucker's textbook, volume 2 (Catherine Carney) 2) lekakh, nokh amol (Michael Meckler) 3) word lobbes (Leonard J. Kent) 4) poem by Ignacy Krasicki (Przemek (Yosl) Piekarski) 5) Term 'Peruvian' in Harkavy's dictionary (Veronica Belling) 6) klore diburim (A. Brumberg) 7) pupik (Elisa Steinberg) 8) Adjunct Position in Yiddish (Holly Haahr) 9) YIVO Photos Online at Reading Room (Elise Fischer) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 14:53:29 -0400 (EDT) From: "Catherine Carney" Subject: Sheva Zucker's textbook, volume 2 The Jewish Book Center of The Workmen's Circle is pleased to announce the publication of the second volume of Yiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature and Culture by Sheva Zucker. The first volume of Yiddish: An Introduction is a treasure for all beginning students of Yiddish. Simply put, no one serious about learning the Yiddish language can do without Sheva Zucker's textbooks. Yiddish: An Introduction one of the finest textbooks available for learning Yiddish, either in a classroom setting or through self study. Using literature, poems and songs, the student quickly moves along from lesson to lesson to learn vocabulary and grammar. The thousands of students, past and present, who began their studies with Volume One, will now be able to continue their education with the publication of the second volume for intermediate students. Volume Two of Yiddish: An Introduction fills a much needed gap for students looking to further their knowledge of the Yiddish language. The Jewish Book Center of The Workmen's Circle is thrilled to be able to meet this need. Yiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature and Culture, Volume Two is dedicated to the memory of Yosl Mlotek. Catherine Carney 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 13:00:09 -0400 (EDT) From: Michael Meckler Subject: lekakh, nokh amol Although "lekakh" came up for discussion about three years ago, I have an etymological question directed to the linguists on the list. Harkavy defined "lekakh" as "ginger-bread, ginger-cake." Of course, the discussants three years ago unanimously described "lekakh" as "honey cake," which would be my default definition as well. Lekakh does, of course, contain spices (it is, after all, a spiced honey cake, though not all versions contain ginger). I doubt, however, that too many of us who are familiar with lekakh from childhood would instinctively call it a spice cake, probably due to the connection of lekakh being served with the apples and honey eaten on Rosh Hashonoh. On a recent visit to Basel, I discovered a dessert cookie called "laeckerli," which shares many similarities to lekakh. Laeckerli, like lekakh, are made from honey that is brought to a boil, to which are added nuts, spices and flour. The amount of flour added to laeckerli, however, is proportionally less than that used in lekakh, and no eggs are mixed in. Laeckerli batter is spread onto a cookie sheet, baked, a sugar glaze is added, and the result is cut into small rectangles or squares. Lekakh, of course, is a cake, often baked in a loaf pan. The similarities in ingredients, production and name suggest that both delicacies share a common origin and etymology. Yiddish "leken" (German "lecken") means "to lick," and German has an adjective "lecker" meaning "tasty." But perhaps the linguists on the list have a better idea of the etymology of "lekakh" and connections with Basler "laeckerli." Michael Meckler 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2002 17:37:50 -0400 (EDT) From: "Valerie Kent" Subject: Stuck on a word (lobbes). Hello! I pride myself on my Yiddish-language skills, but am stuck on a word used by John Gross, former editor of the (London) Times Literary Supplement) in his new book, A Double Thread: Growing Up English and Jewish in London (Ivan R. Dee, Chicago, 2002, ISBN 1-56663-424-5). The Library of Congress CIP data: LC 2001047577. The word he uses on p.3, and throughout, is lobbes, which, he writes "means something like 'rascal' ." A cousin says to him "You're such a lobbes!" Can you help? My dictionaries won't work. Nor was a good friend with a wonderful grasp of Yiddish able to find it. Standing by. With all thanks and good wishes Leonard J. Kent 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 17:50:57 -0400 (EDT) From: Przemyslaw Piekarski Subject: poem by Ignacy Krasicki Tayere khaverim, Ikh zukh a yidishe versie fun a poylish poem Swieta milosci kochanej Ojczyzny fun Ignacy Krasicki in Jagielonski Universitet profesor Walecki vil drukn a zamlung mit fartaytshungn funem lid in farshidene leshoynes dakht zikh dos lid egzistirt oykh in yidish Przemek - Yosl - Piekarski Kroke 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 06:17:09 -0400 (EDT) From: "Belling, V, Veronica, Mrs" Subject: Term 'Peruvian' in Harkavy's dictionary The term 'Peruvian' was current in South African English literature between approximately 1890 and 1910. It was used by gentiles and by anglicised Jews to describe the rude or uncouth behaviour of recent Eastern European immigrants who had not yet acquired acceptable standards of western cutural refinement. Yiddish speakers would refer to the term as 'Peruvnik'. The etymology of the term is somewhat obscure. The most common explanationion in S.A. English is that it is an acronym for Polish and Russian Union, a Jewish club founded in Kimberley, the diamonond mining centre, in the 1870's. However all sorts of other fairly way out suggestions have been made, such as connecting it to Baron de Hirsch's colonisation scheme (which was in Argentina rather than Peru), and a suggestion that it might have had some connection with the Yiddish verb 'pruvn' meaning 'to try'. And there are various others. However what I am trying to ascertain, on behalf of Prof Milton Shain, Director of the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies, who discusses the term in his book 'The roots of antisemitism in South Africa', is whether it was commonly used on the Lower East Side, or ever appeared in early American Jewish literature. The reason that I am asking is because the term is listed in Harkavy's dictionary 1928 edition, although only on the English side and without any explanation. It is simply translated as 'Peruvyanish', with the secondary definition: 'Peruvyanishe kore', translated as 'Peruvian bark'. I subsequently found out that 'Peruvian bark' was the household name for 'quinine', which was made out of the bark of a tree most readily available in Peru in those days. It was a word that would have been known by the early immigrants, as malaria was common in Eastern Europe and I believe quinine was also used as a more general analgesic. 'Peruvian' is the only South American country term which made it into Harkavy's dictionary, which includes the European terms: French, Dutch, German, Spanish and Italian. On the other hand Harkavy does not include Russian or American. In the case of German, Spanish, Italian, and English, the personal noun, i.e. 'a Daytsh' or 'an Italyener', is also given and in all cases, other than Dutch, the adjectival phrase, i.e. 'di Fransoyzishe shprakh' is also provided. In the case of Spanish it also includes the term for 'Spanish fly' - 'Shpanishe flig'. On the basis of the above comparisons I am trying to figure out how and why 'Peruvian' came to be listed. Was it just because of the country? Was the term, in its South African meaning, known on the Lower East Side? If it was not used there, could Harkavy have been familiar with the term 'Peruvian' in its South African context? Or is it just included because the word was needed as a qualifier to translate the then commonplace medicine 'Peruvian bark'- quinine. And finally could the term 'Peruvian bark', a bitter medicine, tie up with its meaning in a South African context? Any comments, suggestions or explanations would be appreciated. Veronica Belling Cape Town 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 09:51:49 -0400 (EDT) From: Abebrumberg@cs.com Subject: klore diburim Leonard Prager's observations on Yiddish in Israel and coincidentally on the status of Yiddish in general [TMR v6, no 7] are outstanding. While Tsanin -- with all due respect -- is choleric, swseeping, and remarkably unsubtle (his articles appear regularly in the Yiddish Forward, in Yidishe Kultur (which in fact is more a mirage than a journal), and Undzer Tsayt, and while others conribute to the existence of Yiddish by attacking -- without any serious arguments or evidence -- those who dare say that Yiddish is slowly expiring as a spoken language, and others cultivate small publications that feature scarcely any contributions by people under the age of 80, and which boast titles that are little more than pathetic exercises in self-delusion (On the Threshold, The Beginning, the Future, Exelcior) , Leonard Praeger -- im tsu lange yor -- tells it like it is. I find this utterly refreshing. As nearly) always, solid facts are preferable to extravagant pretensions. Indeed, if Yiddish is to survive in any form whatsoeverl -- such as a subject of serious scholarship -- it will come about only by speaking the truth rather than by engaging in meretricious rhetoric. And so -- thank you, Leonard Praeger. A. Brumberg 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 19:27:55 -0400 (EDT) From: "Elisa Steinberg" Subject: pupik There is an interesting discussion going on in some linguistics circles about the meaning of 'pupik, pipik, pupek'. By now, most people know it's 'navel'. Where there is disagreement is which part of the chicken it really refers to. Considering we know chickens don't have a need for navels, there are different organs people say have that name. Does any of you have the last word? At home, it used to be the stomach, one of the things you find in the gizzards. Other people claim it's the tail. Help!!! elisa steinberg uruguay/chicago 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 09:55:58 -0400 (EDT) From: "Holly Haahr" Subject: Adjunct Position in Yiddish Yeshiva College, New York, NY seeks applicants for the position of Adjunct Instructor of Yiddish, beginning Fall 2002. Chosen candidate will teach one section of Elementary Yiddish. MA required, ABD or PhD strongly preferred. Candidates are invited to email their c.v. to Dr. Holly Haahr, Coordinator of Foreign Languages, Yeshiva College, hhaahr@ymail.yu.edu. Holly Haahr 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 15:51:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Elise Fischer Subject: YIVO Photos Online at Reading Room Dear Friends: Online Catalog of Photographs of Jewish Life in Eastern Europe - "People of a Thousand Towns" - Is Now Available to Researchers in the YIVO Reading Room. Please contact me if you have any questions about this important step forward, or if you need further information. Thank you, Elise Fischer New York, NY ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 12.006 Address for the postings to Mendele: mendele@lists.yale.edu Address for the list commands: listproc@lists.yale.edu Mendele on the Web: http://www.mendele.net http://ibiblio.org/yiddish/mendele.html