Born to Kvetch

Here is a delightful excursion through the Yiddish language, the culture it defines and serves, and the fine art of complaint . Throughout history, Jews around the world have had plenty of reasons to lament. And for a thousand years, they''ve had the perfect language for it. Rich in color, expressiveness, and complexity, Yiddish has proven incredibly useful and durable. Its wonderful phrases and idioms impeccably reflect the mind-set that has enabled the Jews of Europe to survive a millennium of unrelenting persecution . . . and enables them to kvetch about it! Michael Wex-professor, scholar, translator, novelist, and performer-takes a serious yet unceasingly fun and funny look at this remarkable kvetch-full tongue that has both shaped and has been shaped by those who speak it. Featuring chapters on curse words, food, sex, and even death, he allows his lively wit and scholarship to roam freely from Sholem Aleichem to Chaucer to Elvis. Perhaps only a khokhem be-layle (a fool, literally a ''sage at night,'' when there''s no one around to see) would care to pass up this endearing and enriching treasure trove of linguistics, sociology, history, and folklore-an intriguing appreciation of a unique and enduring language and an equally fascinating culture.

Bericht

"Wise, witty and altogether wonderful...." New York Times

Produktdetails

• Autoren: Michael Wex, Wex Michael
• Verlag: Harper Perennial USA
• Sprachen: Englisch
• Inhalt: Buch
• Produktform: Taschenbuch
• Erscheinungsdatum: 15.08.2006
• Thema: Geisteswissenschaften, Kunst, Musik > Religion/Theologie; Schule und Lernen > Sonstiges
• EAN: 9780061132179
• ISBN: 978-0-06-113217-9
• Anzahl Seiten: 336
• Abmessung (Verpackung): 13.5 x 20.3 x 2 cm
• Themen: Ethnic Studies, Anthropology, Sociolinguistics, Social and cultural history, United States of America, USA, Religion and beliefs, Society and culture: general, Relating to Jewish people and groups, Social groups: religious groups and communities, HISTORY: Social History, HISTORY: Reference, COMPOSITION & WRITING: ON LANGUAGE, JEWISH STUDIES: HISTORY, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES: Linguistics / General, Composition & Writing / On Language, Jewish Studies / History