Yiddish in UK English (anecdotal)

[Dave Hause]

For usage, Leo Rosen in The Joys of Yiddish relates an anecdote about an old
man who had retired to Florida and bought a camel which he rode around.  One
day, a friend asked him if his camel were male or female.  He thought a bit
and replied that it must be male, as when he rode it around he would hear
people tell their friends, "Look at the schmuck on that camel."
Dave Hause, dwhause at jobe.net
Waynesville, MO
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cohen, Gerald Leonard" <gcohen at UMR.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: Yiddish in UK English (anecdotal)


The derivation of Yiddish anatomical shmuck (actually: shmok) from  German
Schmuck (= jewelry, decoration, embellishment) is false.  I have the
relevant articles in my office, but meanwhile, IIRC, Yiddish shmok derives
from a Slavic word indicating a snake or snake-like creature.  My
bibliographical notes at home contain the following references, all from
Comments on Etymology:

1) Gerald Cohen (title: ?), vol. 13, #5-6, Dec. 1983, pp. 12-13.
2) J. Peter Maher (letter), vol. 13, no. 11-12, March 1984, pp. 7-9.
3) Joseph Walfield (article title: ?), vol. 14, issues # 11-12, March 1985,
p. 7.
4). 'Yiddish "shmok" (= English "shmuck") revisited.' ----- vol. 22,  #2
(Nov. 1992), pp. 20- 22. Contains:
   a) Reprint of article by "Philologos" in _The Forward_, July 24, 1992:
'Snakes in the Grass.' (pp. 20-21).
   b.) Joseph Wallfield: '"Shmuck" --- again.' (p.22)

Also, I seem to remember another, longer item, on the subject--probably
written by my deceased friend and colleague, Joseph Wallfield. If it's of
any interest, I can check this when I'm back in my office.

Gerald Cohen

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org