"The Gorgeous George of Canadian literature" – Michael Wex
Transliteration of Yiddish words into English can be tricky. Here's an example:
What is the correct spelling you use for alte kocker/cocker/ or something like that?
Is it correct to use the expression to refer to an old guy shooting the breeze, a regular guy, etc., who is also old?
For general use, I'd spell it kucker (it rhymes with "sucker"; in more formal settings, I'd use the so-called scientific... Read more here
So where does the word zhlob come from?
What is the translation of the Yiddish word "Zlob" . When my father used it on me I understood it to mean something like slob. However the accompanying intonation and facial expression made it seem worse than simply a slob. Are there regional variations in meaning?
While similarity in sound has led to "zhlob" being used as a version of the English "slob" (as you... Read more here
Random House, as part of their marketing for The Frumkiss Family Business, asked Wex twenty questions. These are the results.
1. How would you summarize your book in one sentence?
A comic look at what it means to be a Jew--or anything else--today.
2. How long did it take you to write this book?
Slightly over a year.
3. Where is your favorite place to write?
At the kitchen table.
4. How... Read more here
Every wondered where the express Moishe Kapoyr comes from? You're not alone.
Would you be able to explain the origin of the Yiddish expression, Moishe Kapoyer, used, to the best of my knowledge, to describe someone who always appears to do things in a way diametrically opposed to they way they should be done? Thank you very much.
Kapoyr means upside-down. The original Moyshe Kapoyr was a character created... Read more here
