Description
“An earthy romp through the lingua franca of Jews. . . . This treasure trove of linguistics, sociology, history and folklore offers a fascinating look at how, through the centuries, a unique and enduring language has reflected an equally unique and enduring culture.”--Publishers Weekly, starred review
The main spoken language of the Jews for more than 1,000 years, Yiddish offers a comprehensive picture of the mind-set that enabled them to survive a millennium of unrelenting persecution across Europe. Through the idioms, phrases, metaphors, and fascinating history of this wonderful tongue, Michael Wex gives us a moving and inspiring portrait of a people, and a language, in exile. From tukhes to goy, meshugener to bobe mayse (cok-and-bull story), Born to Kvetch offers a wealth of material, some that has never appeared in English before, on all elements of Yiddish life, including food, nature, divinity, humanity, and even sex.
Author: Michael Wex
Publisher: HarperLuxe
Published: 11/20/2007
Pages: 456
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.07lbs
Size: 8.96h x 6.15w x 1.06d
ISBN13: 9780061340840
ISBN10: 0061340847
Large Print
BISAC Categories:
- Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics | Sociolinguistics
- Foreign Language Study | Yiddish
- History | Jewish | General
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