Class blog for SUNY Fredonia HIST/WOST 359, Meeting TR 3:30-4:50 p.m., Spring 2011. Taught by professor Jeffry J. Iovannone.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
"A shanda fur die goy" & "Not in front of mixed company" #15
I myself personally for quite some time was familiar with the Jewish culture, by having a Jewish Grandmother via marriage. Have always learned a lil more and more about the people and thier culteral/religious backgrounds. I know alot about the discrimination they have exsperianced (anti-semetism). In my personal oppinion it is more about thier (1.) Socialeconomic status here in America (2.) Religion (Religious) (3.) Secularism/Zionism. I think within' any culture or subculture thiers a exclusivity amongst the group. Jewish culture is very much so unfamiliar and confusing at times for mainstream America. So I had looked up the yiddish language and I watched several movie in which some one was speaking yiddish. So I decided to check out a few phrases. Yiddish is a high German dialect of Ashkenazi spoken all over the world. But the phrase that I can Identify with was "A shanda fur die goy" meaning for a Jewish person to do something shameful/embarrassing to Jewish people in front of non-Jewish people (Goy is also a derogatory term used to describe gentiles, non Jewish people). This stuck out to me in particular because many other minorities have this very same saying such as "Not in front of mixed company" meaning what you did is embarrassing to the whole race or ethnic group mainly because you did it in front of white people. And its usually because you did something that may have fed into a stereotype and its funny like that because; As a minority when you are in front a group of white people you as the minority are direct representation for your whole racial/ethnic group. Which makes it hard to express your individuality at times cause you are direct representation. And I know that Jewish culture stresses individual achievement. Words like Naches means to bring joy. And children are "Shep naches" meaning expected to bring their parents much joy via individual achievements. I would like to learn a few more Yiddish phrases. The Yiddish phrases seem to be somewhat sarcastic or self loathing in some manner. also a lot of these words have worked their way into mainstream America words like "Smear" of "Nash" ands "Putts" and "prick" cheeky lol.
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