# Yiddish **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 15, 1999, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772 "1999-06-15T03:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 1999, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/41 "1999-06-28T16:57:00Z")
_Of course_ the 60’s is “very recent”. Great God! we’re talking about a radical connotative shift in a common word; one would expect it to take centuries. Has Goethe been removed from the syllabus? * * * John W. Kennedy “Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays.” – Charles Williams ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 1999, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/42 "1999-06-29T02:03:00Z")
OK, found this “veyb” quote. It’s from a musical that was produced in the 1950’s. The stanza could be older, though. ``` Toyznt VEYBER hot gehat Shloyme hamelech der kliger. Fargst nisht az tsa yedn VEYB Hot ir oych gekrign a shviger! ``` ::chuckle, snort:: –Rivkele ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 1999, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/43 "1999-06-29T19:39:00Z")
For each of the thousand wives, he also got an in-law? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 1999, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/44 "1999-06-29T23:34:00Z")
A MOTHER-in-law. It’s amazing to me that you understand, jens, because I don’t understand German at all. –Riv ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 1999, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/45 "1999-06-30T13:21:00Z")
In German, “Schwieger” is just a prefix, “Schwiegervater” is father-in-law, “Schwiegermutter” is mother-in-law. Interestingly, “Schwager” is brother-in-law, “Schwaegerin” is sister-in-law. What is the Yiddish for father, brother, and sister-in-law? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 1999, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/46 "1999-06-30T14:32:00Z")
father-in-law = shver sister-in-law = shvergerin brother-in-law = shvoger daughter-in-law = shnur son-in-law = aydem your child’s mother-in-law = mechuteneste your child’s father-in-law = mechutin –Rivkele ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 1999, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/47 "1999-07-01T12:02:00Z")
Thanks, Rivkele. Interesting that the sister and brother match the German, but the son and daughter and the last two bear no resemblance. I wonder if those came from the Hebrew? If so, did they use Hebrew forms where they couldn’t find good German ones? Or German forms where Hebrew forms were lacking? Or maybe Russian? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 1999, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/48 "1999-07-04T06:43:00Z")
Only the children’s in-laws words are Hebrew, as far as I know. They’re from a not-often used word for marriage, “mechutin.” Actually, I’m not sure whether this word means “marriage,” or just “wedding.” “Chatan” is a bridegroom, and sometimes also is used for “son-in-law.” I’m not sure about the others; “aydem” and “shnur” totally elude me. I hope to heck that “shnur” isn’t related to “shnorr,” a verb that means something like “mooch.” –Rivkele ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 1999, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/49 "1999-07-05T05:57:00Z")
“Schnur” in German means string, which doesn’t seem enlightening vis a vis the in-law situation either. Although some jokes beginning with “A string went into a bar” might become more meaningful using a little German/Yiddish 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 1999, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/50 "1999-07-04T19:09:00Z")
Actually, I suppose “shnur” and “shnorr” could be related. They could both mean someone “strung,” or “tied” to you and your family. “Shnorr” is used in Hebrew, but I don’t know whether it originated in Hebrew, or came to modern Hebrew by way of Yiddish. It sounds Yiddish, but I’m just guessing. Where’s Dex? He usually knows stuff like this. –Rivkele ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/51 "2026-01-06T03:13:06Z")
Is there a female version/word for ‘schmendrick’? ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/52 "2026-01-06T03:33:07Z")
Well, according to the literal definition of schmendrick, no 😛 Also, is this a record for oldest zombie? I’ve heard of the “Yiddish Revival”, but this is meshuggena. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/53 "2026-01-06T04:50:03Z")
Oy, I kvell. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/54 "2026-01-06T05:32:57Z")
Damn, this thread is so old no one had usernames. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/55 "2026-01-06T05:45:50Z")
Well we know @John_W.Kennedy and @Rivkele posted. And @Rowan and @tomndebb ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/56 "2026-01-06T09:42:27Z")
In Hebrew, which is highly gendered and has a look history of adapting Yiddish word, we’d say “Schmendrickit”. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/57 "2026-01-06T10:04:44Z")
It is just a proper name, at the end of the day. Maybe you could find an analogous female character? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/58 "2026-01-06T15:50:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > In Hebrew, which is highly gendered and has a look history of adapting Yiddish word, we’d say “Schmendrickit”. Sounds reasonable. FWIW, the Yiddish words I know come from ‘60s and ‘70s TV shows (they seemed more common back then, in Southern California) and stand-up comedians. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/59 "2026-01-06T17:07:15Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > It is just a proper name, at the end of the day. Maybe you could find an analogous female character? Huh? It’s usually used as a mild insult akin to “fool”, but literally means “penis”. Per Wikipedia, which seems unaware of the literal meaning, it’s been used by Jewish humorists as the name of fictional characters, but I can’t imagine it’s any real person’s name. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772/60 "2026-01-06T18:23:18Z")
Dick, Jock, and Peter might disagree, but perhaps it’s the fact that this is apparently in the opposite direction from English (body part ➡ name, not the other way around)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yiddish/1772.md?page=4)