- Artist/Maker:
- Mel Bochner
- Bio:
- American, b. 1940
- Title:
- The Joys of Yiddish
- Date:
- 2012
- Medium:
- Oil and acrylic on canvas
- Dimensions:
- 100 × 85 in. (254 × 215.9 cm)
- Credit Line:
- Purchase: Gifts of The Muriel and William Rand Collection, by exchange and Hyman and Joan C. Sall
- Accession Number:
- 2012-22a-b
Not On View
Leo Rosten’s classic 1968 book The Joys of Yiddish is Bochner’s source. Rosten devoted himself to a compilation of Yiddish words that had migrated into American culture. The words are social, personal, disparaging, and funny, often associated with comedy. That many of these words have been anglicized and have entered common usage says a lot about the assimilation of Jews into American society.
KIBBITZER: Wise guy
KVETCHER: Chronic complainer
K’NOCKER: Braggart
NUDZH: Pesterer
NUDNICK: Nag
NEBBISH: Sad sack
GONIF: Shady character
TUMLER: Prankster
TSITSER: Useless bystander
MESHUGENER: Crazy person
SHMOOZER: Gossip
SCHMO: Fall guy
SHLEMIEL: Social misfit
SHLIMAZEL: Born loser
SHVITZER: Show-off
ALTER KOCKER: Cranky old man
PISHER: Someone who still pees in his pants
PLOSHER: Blowhard
PLATKE-MACHER: Troublemaker
Information may change as a result of ongoing research.