Brief language interlude
I missed two class sessions of Biblical Grammar a couple weeks ago, and since that class is like math and builds on what came before, I’m a bit confused as to what we’re doing now. Not getting anywhere by myself, I decided to call my professor and set up a meeting to go over the material.
When she answered the phone, I said this, exactly:
“Sima? Hi, ze Michal m’kitah bet b’HUC. Yesh li harbeh tzurres be kitah shelach. Eefshar lifgosh eetach b’shavoa haze o haba l’deber al hashiur?”
Literally, this translates into, “Sima? Hi, this is Michal from Kita Bet [class level 2] at HUC. I’m having a lot of trouble with your class. Would it be possible to meet with you this week or next to talk about the lesson?”
Halfway through my sentence Sima started to giggle, but then she immediately caught herself and stopped. We set up an appointment for next week. But I didn’t know why she laughed – my Hebrew was good, I thought, what was the problem? Then I realized – “tzurres” is Yiddish!
When she answered the phone, I said this, exactly:
“Sima? Hi, ze Michal m’kitah bet b’HUC. Yesh li harbeh tzurres be kitah shelach. Eefshar lifgosh eetach b’shavoa haze o haba l’deber al hashiur?”
Literally, this translates into, “Sima? Hi, this is Michal from Kita Bet [class level 2] at HUC. I’m having a lot of trouble with your class. Would it be possible to meet with you this week or next to talk about the lesson?”
Halfway through my sentence Sima started to giggle, but then she immediately caught herself and stopped. We set up an appointment for next week. But I didn’t know why she laughed – my Hebrew was good, I thought, what was the problem? Then I realized – “tzurres” is Yiddish!
posted by Michal at 5:46 AM
3 Comments:
Right! And in Hebrew, "trouble" is "tsah-rot." Similar to "tzurres," but as clumsy to the Hebrew ear as "Shabbes" is for "Shabbat." That slip into the comfort zone of "mama-loshen" (mother tongue) will cause a giggle.
yer Savta
giggles here too. I realized a while ago that I speak Yiddish in English too. I will often ask a friend "how's by you?" I hadn't realized until recently a hispanic friend looked blankly at me and said 'huh?' that this wasn't standard English! :-)
LOL, Sheryl, I feel your pain!
And Savta - I didn't know there *was* a similar word in Hebrew! The things you learn...
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