"chopped liver" revisited

[Sam Clements]

Jerry,

I still see that as one of two plausible answers. It could still be the idea
that chopped liver was cheaper than pastrami or corned beef or lox in the
deli.  This was Doug Wilson's idea, and I tend to accept that theory.

I don't know if it was Doug who pointed out that the phrase quite often was
used to indicate that a sum of money wasn't "chopped liver."  That would
negate the "side dish" issue.

Sam Clements

Considering that
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerald Cohen" <gcohen at UMR.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2004 3:15 PM
Subject: "chopped liver" revisited


>     A few weeks ago I mentioned the great injustice in the expression
> (with variants) "What am I, chopped liver?" and wondered how this
> delicious food (if prepared properly) could acquire such negative
> connotations.
>
>     I now see a plausible answer in a 2002 ads-l message and present
> it below my signoff.
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
>
> >Date:         Sat, 17 Aug 2002 13:05:43 -0700
> >From: Kim & Rima McKinzey <rkmck at EARTHLINK.NET>
> >Subject:      Fwd: mini Yiddish lesson
> >To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> >
> >Just got this from a friend - and appropriate in that we just had a
> >thread re chopped liver.  Rima
> >
> >><snip>
> >>While we're on the subject of Yiddish, another expression whose origin
> >>people wonder about is, "What am I, chopped liver?"
> >>
> >>Consult an excellent website about all things Jewish, Ask the Rabbi
> >>(www.ohr.org.il/web/index/askfull.htm).
> >>
> >>According to this site, the phrase was coined in America. Chopped liver
is
> >>a side dish and never a main course, so the phrase is used to express
hurt
> >>and amazement when someone feels overlooked, i.e., treated as a "side
> >>dish."
>