20 Yiddish words to spritz into your copy
You’d have to be meshuga not to expand your vocabulary with a schtickle of this wonderful, colorful language.
Emerging among 10th-century Jews living in Germany, the language is a delicious mishmash derived from a stew of Hebrew, Aramaic, German and Slavic words. Today, there are fewer than 155,000 Yiddish speakers in America, though the language has made a profound impact on our lexicon.
Lest you start kvetching, let’s launch right into a collection of delightful Yiddish terms to spritz into your writing:
1. Schtickle—a small amount, a little bit of something.
“Chrissie, give me a schtickle of fluoride.”
2. Schluff—a nap.
I’m going to need a brief schluff before this bris.
3. Schvitz—to sweat.
It’s so hot, I’m schvitzing over here!
4. Kvell—to swell with pride.
Mona was kvelling after her son won the award.
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