# Pls explain verbal tic e.g. 'Michael Schmichael'
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-explain-verbal-tic-e-g-michael-schmichael/46608
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 21, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-explain-verbal-tic-e-g-michael-schmichael/46608 "2000-12-21T00:05:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-explain-verbal-tic-e-g-michael-schmichael/46608/1 "2000-12-21T00:05:02Z")
First person makes reference to someone or something, e.g. “Michael”, second person intends to be disparaging and says “Aw, Michael Schmichael…”, usually with a dismissive pawing gesture.
This pattern, ’ repeat noun + ‘Sch’ prefix ’ …where does it come from? What does it mean, if anything? Why do people do it?
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### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-explain-verbal-tic-e-g-michael-schmichael/46608/2 "2000-12-21T02:21:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> The collision of English and Yiddish has given North America such expressions as _Get lost, Scram!, I’m telling you, I need it like a hole in the head, Enjoy!_, and _Smart he isn’t_, many of these expressions - and the sarcastic _schm_ prefix: _Oedipus-schmoedipus_ or _actor-schmactor_ - first evolving in the burlesque theatres of the late nineteenth century. – from [this page on Yiddish](http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~olmsted/kcole/yiddish.htm)
> [@](#):
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> **schm-** _prefix_ substituted for the beginning of consonants of a specific word when forming a
> reduplicative pair, and used to reject or deny the importance of that word: _I can’t come I’m too old. Old, schmold! You can’t get out of it that easily._ [originally US slang (1920s); from the beginning of many Yiddish words] – from the [_Macquarie Dictionary of Slang_](http://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/p/dictionary/slang-s.html)
Finally, here’s a linguistics discussion on [“contrastive repetition” around the world](http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/5/5-300.html).
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### Author:  [@jaimest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaimest)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-explain-verbal-tic-e-g-michael-schmichael/46608/3 "2000-12-21T03:12:07Z")
How would that work on a word that already begins with a “sch” or “schm” sound?
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### Author:  [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2000, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pls-explain-verbal-tic-e-g-michael-schmichael/46608/4 "2000-12-22T01:27:06Z")
Thanks for all your help, **MEBuckner**. I’ve been trying to get some info on this for a while… one post here and bingo! You come up with the goods. All hail the mighty power of the SDMB and its denizens.