Exploring Yiddish: From Old to New
Embark on a linguistic journey with the Comprehensive English-Yiddish Dictionary, recently published by Indiana University Press. This dictionary delves into a language spoken by a diverse range of individuals, from rebbes and poets to nurses and prostitutes, schoolchildren, and soldiers. Discover the myriad personalities of the mame-loshn through its 50,000 entries, each a unique character in its own right.
The dictionary is the culmination of the life’s work of Mordkhe Schaechter (1927-2007), a philologist and lexicographer who dedicated himself to promoting, standardizing, analyzing, and teaching Yiddish. Schaechter’s collaboration on Uriel Weinreich’s Modern English-Yiddish Yiddish-English Dictionary laid the foundation for this comprehensive work. With the assistance of Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, a Yiddish poet and Schaechter’s daughter, and Paul Glasser, a linguist and close associate, the dictionary has become the largest and most accessible English-Yiddish dictionary to date.
The dictionary features neologisms that serve as one-word poems, such as “blitspost” (email) and “shilshl-peh” (verbal diarrhea), showcasing the creativity of Yiddish speakers. Additionally, it provides colorful equivalents for modern-day expressions and obscenities, adding a unique touch to the language.
Delve into the richness of Yiddish with this monumental dictionary, where you can find phrases that mirror modern English expressions and explore a world of creativity and tradition. Whether you’re writing, conversing, or simply exploring a new language, let Yiddish be your guide.