Mendele: Yiddish literature and language
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Contents of Vol. 16.020
February 3, 2007

1) online Yiddish readings sought (Michel Rener)
2) joke about Boris Thomashefsky sought (David Minkoff)
3) kleynkunst teater (Berta Kipnis)
4) na dir akht un akhtsik (Les Train)
5) shpinholts (Mikhoel Ronn)
6) pulish (Yale Reisner)
7) Leybl Botviniks lider (Tomas Novotny)
8) Wir vs. mir (Morrie Feller)
9) trefn/bagegenen (Per Teitlbaum and others)

1)----------------------------------------------------
Date: 26 January, 2007
Subject: Online Yiddish readings sought

My name is Michel Rener.  I live in Uruguay, South America.

I am contacting you because I was looking for someone on the web who is
knowledgeable about Yiddish literature, and I found your e-mail.

My grand father was born in Poland.  He is 84 years old and now lives in
Uruguay.

Recently, due to a disease in his eyes, he cannot read.

He loves Yiddish, and understands the language perfectly.

I want to now of any internet site where I can download spoken stories in
Yiddish to my grand father.  Do you know of any sites?

Thank you very much,

Michel Rener

2)----------------------------------------------------
Date: January 27, 2007
Subject: joke about Boris Thomashefsky sought

I am trying to find a joke about Boris Thomashefsky, a singer, actor,
producer, and director of the Yiddish theatre who came to the USA from
Russia in the late 1800's.  The deceased mother of a friend of mine used to
tell a joke about the "famous Thomashefsky," but my friend can't remember
what it was. If you know of it or any place where I can find it in an
archive, I would appreciate your letting me know. Many thanks,

David Minkoff

3)----------------------------------------------------
Date: January 28, 2007
Subject: kleynkunst-teater

Can anybody explain what it means? I know what kleyn, kunst and teater
mean, but ... what does it all together mean? Neither U. Weinreich, nor
"Der oytser fun der yidisher shprakh" nor A. Harkavy gives the meaning.

Thank you!
Berta Kipnis

4)----------------------------------------------------
Date: January 28, 2007
Subject: na dir akht un akhtsik

I have come across the phrase "na dir akht un akhtsik," which from context
seems to mean "bully for you." Am I right in this assumption, and whence
this turn of phrase?

Les Train

5)----------------------------------------------------
Date: January 29, 2007
Subject: shpinholts

Tsi veyst emetser oyf zikher vos iz a "shpinholts"? Me flegt im nutsn far a
khasene.

ayer,
Michoel Ronn

6)----------------------------------------------------
Date: February 2, 2007
Subject: "pulish" - synagogue anteroom

Has anyone any persuasive information on the etymology of the term "pulish"
or "polish" for a synagogue anteroom in which:

rabbinic courts met; convicts were held in the stocks; "overflow"
worshippers would stand when the synagogue was full; a washbasin would
stand.

This appears to be a term used on Polish lands.

Theories range from Hebrew [li-flosh] to French [parois] to Slavic [?], but
I have not thus far seen any argumentation that seems convincing to me.

Any thoughts?

Yale J. (Yekhiel) Reisner

7)----------------------------------------------------
Date: February 2, 2007
Subject: Leybl Botviniks lider

I apologize for writing in English, but it is faster and easier for me. Let
me introduce myself: I am a university professor and a conductor of a choir
performing exclusively Jewish music (more about this at www.osu.cz/adash).
I found the poem "Aza regn" by Leybl Botvinik on internet and set it to
music. I liked the poem very much, so I would like to find more of
Botviniks lider.

Does anybody have a contact for him or his poems?

a hartsikn dank far ayer hilf!

Tomas Novotny

8)----------------------------------------------------
Date: January 17, 2007
Subject: Wir vs. mir

The first person plural pronoun in German is "wir," while in Yiddish it is
"mir." Does anyone know why or how the "wir" became "mir"? Or is there no
reason to expect a formal relationship between the two terms?

Morrie Feller

9)----------------------------------------------------
Date: 3 February, 2007
Subject: trefn/bagegenen

Note from the moderator:  A number of contributors, including Perl
Teitlbaum, Norma Brewer, and Dina Levias, have written to affirm that these
verbs, both of Germanic origin, share the meaning "to meet, to encounter."
Their usage, however, is not identical.

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End of Mendele Vol. 16.020