freekindlebookslanguagelearning:

These books can be read even without a Kindle. All of these books might be free for today only, so download the ones you want right away. 

You might also like today’s Kindle Daily Deal: The Best American Travel Writing 2011.

HEBREW

• Modern Hebrew Vocabulary Flash Cards - Food Words for the Kitchen, Shopping, and Eating Out in Israel

PORTUGUESE

• I Just Love MONSTERS! (Bilingual English-Portuguese)
• The Book of The Animals - The Collection - Episodes 1-2-3 (Bilingual English-Portuguese)

CHINESE

• Essential Travel Chinese (Simplified)

ESPERANTO

• A Complete Grammar of Esperanto

JAPANESE

• Where Hummingbirds Come From Bilingual Japanese-English

FRENCH

• I Just Love MONSTERS! (Bilingual English-French)
• The Book of The Animals - The Collection - Episodes 1-2-3 (Bilingual English-French)
• The Book of The Animals - Mrs. Milkshake (Bilingual English-French)

INDONESIAN

• The Dance of The Caterpillars Bilingual Indonesian-English

———

Don’t forget to check out today’s free ebooks in other categories.

thewordcollector2:

Bismillaah بسم الله …In the Name of God

Assalaamu 3alaikum wa Jum3ah Sa3eedah السّلام عليكم و جمعة سعيدة…God’s Peace Be with You and Happy Friday

Hi Readers:),

Have you ever seen the 1979 Western comedy film: “The Frisco Kid”? Well, if you have, it may have sparked an interest in you to learn more about Yiddish and Jewish terms, as the character Rabbi Avram Belinski (Gene Wilder) used many of them in the comical film. Tonight, I’m going to share some of the Yiddish and Jewish terms that I’ve digged up, so please enjoy my blog post, InshaaAllah (God willing)! ;)

About Yiddish and Hebrew

Yiddish is a West Germanic language that developed from Middle High German dialects, with an admixture of vocabulary from multiple source languages including Hebrew-Aramaic, Romance, Slavic, English, etc., and written in Hebrew characters which is used mainly among Ashkenazic Jews from central and eastern Europe.

Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic family. It was once a dialect of the Canaanite language, but other dialects have died out. Hebrew existed as a spoken language in ancient times until the turn of the 4th century CE, when it began to be replaced by Aramaic, but it persisted as a literary language, largely due to the Hebrew Bible used by the Jewish faith. Today, Hebrew is once again a spoken language in Israel and other Jewish communities, and it boasts around 15 million speakers worldwide.

Sources:

- http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Yiddish

- http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-hebrew.htm

Who are Ashkenazi Jews?

Ashkenazi Jews are Jews originating from Central and Eastern Europe.

See more here: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ashkenazi

About Central and Eastern Europe

Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. Countries located in Central Europe include: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland.

Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are “almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region”. A related United Nations paper adds that “every assessment of spatial identities is essentially a social and cultural construct”.

One definition describes Eastern Europe as a cultural (and econo-cultural) entity: the region lying with main characteristics consisting in Byzantine, Orthodox and minor and limited Ottoman influences.

Another definition, considered outdated by an increasing number of authors, was created during the Cold War and used more or less synonymously with the term Eastern Bloc. A similar definition names the formerly communist European states outside the Soviet Union as Eastern Europe.

Eastern Europe, home of the bulk of world Jewry until the 1940s, is the birthplace of Hasidic Judaism, Litvak Judaism and several Orthodox churches.

Sources and Further Reading:

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Europe

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe

Now to those Yiddish expressions….

The following was taken from the article entitled: “The Yiddish Handbook: 40 Words You Should Know” by Micheal from the website: “Daily Writing Tips”.

 

The Yiddish language is a wonderful source of rich expressions, especially terms of endearment (and of course, complaints and insults). This article is a follow up on Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should Know. Jewish scriptwriters introduced many Yiddish words into popular culture, which often changed the original meanings drastically. You might be surprised to learn how much Yiddish you already speak, but also, how many familiar words actually mean something different in real Yiddish.

There is no universally accepted transliteration or spelling; the standard YIVO version is based on the Eastern European Klal Yiddish dialect, while many Yiddish words found in English came from Southern Yiddish dialects. In the 1930s, Yiddish was spoken by more than 10 million people, but by 1945, 75% of them were gone. Today, Yiddish is the language of over 100 newspapers, magazines, radio broadcasts, and websites.

 

1. baleboste
   A good homemaker, a woman who’s in charge of her home and will make sure you remember it.
2. bissel
   Or bisl – a little bit.
3. bubbe
   Or bobe. It means Grandmother, and bobeshi is the more affectionate form. Bubele is a similarly affectionate word, though it isn’t in Yiddish dictionaries.
4. bupkes
   Not a word for polite company. Bubkes or bobkes may be related to the Polish word for “beans”, but it really means “goat droppings” or “horse droppings.” It’s often used by American Jews for “trivial, worthless, useless, a ridiculously small amount” – less than nothing, so to speak. “After all the work I did, I got bupkes!”
5. chutzpah
   Or khutspe. Nerve, extreme arrogance, brazen presumption. In English, chutzpah often connotes courage or confidence, but among Yiddish speakers, it is not a compliment.
6. feh!
   An expression of disgust or disapproval, representative of the sound of spitting.
7. glitch
   Or glitsh. Literally “slip,” “skate,” or “nosedive,” which was the origin of the common American usage as “a minor problem or error.”
8. gornisht
   More polite than bupkes, and also implies a strong sense of nothing; used in phrases such as “gornisht helfn” (beyond help).
9. goy
   A non-Jew, a Gentile. As in Hebrew, one Gentile is a goy, many Gentiles are goyim, the non-Jewish world in general is “the goyim.” Goyish is the adjective form. Putting mayonnaise on a pastrami sandwich is goyish. Putting mayonnaise on a pastrami sandwich on white bread is even more goyish.
10. kibbitz
    In Yiddish, it’s spelled kibets, and it’s related to the Hebrew “kibbutz” or “collective.” But it can also mean verbal joking, which after all is a collective activity. It didn’t originally mean giving unwanted advice about someone else’s game – that’s an American innovation.
11. klutz
    Or better yet, klots. Literally means “a block of wood,” so it’s often used for a dense, clumsy or awkward person. See schlemiel.
12. kosher
    Something that’s acceptable to Orthodox Jews, especially food. Other Jews may also “eat kosher” on some level but are not required to. Food that Orthodox Jews don’t eat – pork, shellfish, etc. – is called traif. An observant Jew might add, “Both pork and shellfish are doubtlessly very tasty. I simply am restricted from eating it.” In English, when you hear something that seems suspicious or shady, you might say, “That doesn’t sound kosher.”
13. kvetsh
    In popular English, kvetch means “complain, whine or fret,” but in Yiddish, kvetsh literally means “to press or squeeze,” like a wrong-sized shoe. Reminds you of certain chronic complainers, doesn’t it? But it’s also used on Yiddish web pages for “click” (Click Here).
14. maven
    Pronounced meyven. An expert, often used sarcastically.
15. Mazel Tov
    Or mazltof. Literally “good luck,” (well, literally, “good constellation”) but it’s a congratulation for what just happened, not a hopeful wish for what might happen in the future. When someone gets married or has a child or graduates from college, this is what you say to them. It can also be used sarcastically to mean “it’s about time,” as in “It’s about time you finished school and stopped sponging off your parents.”
16. mentsh
    An honorable, decent person, an authentic person, a person who helps you when you need help. Can be a man, woman or child.
17. mishegas
    Insanity or craziness. A meshugener is a crazy man. If you want to insult someone, you can ask them, ”Does it hurt to be crazy?”
18. mishpocheh
    Or mishpokhe or mishpucha. It means “family,” as in “Relax, you’re mishpocheh. I’ll sell it to you at wholesale.”
19. nosh
    Or nash. To nibble; a light snack, but you won’t be light if you don’t stop noshing. Can also describe plagarism, though not always in a bad sense; you know, picking up little pieces for yourself.
20. nu
    A general word that calls for a reply. It can mean, “So?” “Huh?” “Well?” “What’s up?” or “Hello?”
21. oy vey
    Exclamation of dismay, grief, or exasperation. The phrase “oy vey iz mir” means “Oh, woe is me.” “Oy gevalt!” is like oy vey, but expresses fear, shock or amazement. When you realize you’re about to be hit by a car, this expression would be appropriate.
22. plotz
    Or plats. Literally, to explode, as in aggravation. “Well, don’t plotz!” is similar to “Don’t have a stroke!” or “Don’t have a cow!” Also used in expressions such as, “Oy, am I tired; I just ran the four-minute mile. I could just plotz.” That is, collapse.
23. shalom
    It means “deep peace,” and isn’t that a more meaningful greeting than “Hi, how are ya?”
24. shlep
    To drag, traditionally something you don’t really need; to carry unwillingly. When people “shlep around,” they are dragging themselves, perhaps slouchingly. On vacation, when I’m the one who ends up carrying the heavy suitcase I begged my wife to leave at home, I shlep it.
25. shlemiel
    A clumsy, inept person, similar to a klutz (also a Yiddish word). The kind of person who always spills his soup.
26. schlock
    Cheap, shoddy, or inferior, as in, “I don’t know why I bought this schlocky souvenir.”
27. shlimazel
    Someone with constant bad luck. When the shlemiel spills his soup, he probably spills it on the shlimazel. Fans of the TV sitcom “Laverne and Shirley” remember these two words from the Yiddish-American hopscotch chant that opened each show.
28. shmendrik
    A jerk, a stupid person, popularized in The Last Unicorn and Welcome Back Kotter.
29. shmaltzy
    Excessively sentimental, gushing, flattering, over-the-top, corny. This word describes some of Hollywood’s most famous films. From shmaltz, which means chicken fat or grease.
30. shmooze
    Chat, make small talk, converse about nothing in particular. But at Hollywood parties, guests often schmooze with people they want to impress.
31. schmuck
    Often used as an insulting word for a self-made fool, but you shouldn’t use it in polite company at all, since it refers to male anatomy.
32. spiel
    A long, involved sales pitch, as in, “I had to listen to his whole spiel before I found out what he really wanted.” From the German word for play.
33. shikse
    A non-Jewish woman, all too often used derogatorily. It has the connotation of “young and beautiful,” so referring to a man’s Gentile wife or girlfriend as a shiksa implies that his primary attraction was her good looks. She is possibly blonde. A shagetz or sheygets means a non-Jewish boy, and has the connotation of a someone who is unruly, even violent.
34. shmutz
    Or shmuts. Dirt – a little dirt, not serious grime. If a little boy has shmutz on his face, and he likely will, his mother will quickly wipe it off. It can also mean dirty language. It’s not nice to talk shmutz about shmutz. A current derivation, “schmitzig,” means a “thigamabob” or a “doodad,” but has nothing to do with filth.
35. shtick
    Something you’re known for doing, an entertainer’s routine, an actor’s bit, stage business; a gimmick often done to draw attention to yourself.
36. tchatchke
    Or tshatshke. Knick-knack, little toy, collectible or giftware. It also appears in sentences such as, “My brother divorced his wife for some little tchatchke.” You can figure that one out.
37. tsuris
    Or tsores. Serious troubles, not minor annoyances. Plagues of lice, gnats, flies, locusts, hail, death… now, those were tsuris.
38. tuches
    Rear end, bottom, backside, buttocks. In proper Yiddish, it’s spelled tuchis or tuches or tokhis, and was the origin of the American slang word tush.
39. yente
    Female busybody or gossip. At one time, high-class parents gave this name to their girls (after all, it has the same root as “gentle”), but it gained the Yiddish meaning of “she-devil”. The matchmaker in “Fiddler on the Roof” was named Yente (and she certainly was a yente though maybe not very high-class), so many people mistakenly think that yente means matchmaker.
40. yiddisher kop
    Smart person. Literally means “Jewish head.” I don’t want to know what goyisher kop means.

 

As in Hebrew, the ch or kh in Yiddish is a “voiceless fricative,” with a pronunciation between h and k. If you don’t know how to make that sound, pronounce it like an h. Pronouncing it like a k is goyish.

_______________________________________________

Jewish Terms

 

Here are a few Jewish terms that I gathered from two sources.

Mazal tov

Generally defined as good fortune or good luck. the term has become a popular synonym for “congratulations!” Some people pronounce it “mazl tof.”

Actually, “mazal” in Biblical and Talmudic times meant a planet or constellation of the zodiac. Ancient belief held that the positions of stars and planets had special powers over us. This is a feeling still maintained by those who practice astrology. The term “mazal,” therefore, acquired the connotation of fate or fortune. “Mazal tov” thus literally meant, “may you stand under a good constellation.”

In the course of time, the rabbis, as well as Jewish scholars, cautioned our people not to place confidence in signs and omens derived from the stars. Still, the term “mazal” has been retained to signify a happy or fortunate occurrence.

Joyful occasions calling for the use of “mazal tov” are birthdays, a bar or bat mitzvah, a wedding, an anniversary, moving to a new home, beginning a new job, among others. 

Shalom

This term is commonly used as the greeting in Hebrew for both “hello” and “farewell” or “goodbye.” In reality, however, it means neither. It denotes “peace.” The word for peace in Arabic, “salaam” sounds very much like it.

In Judaism, “shalom” is viewed as God’s most perfect and most priceless blessing, the goal of all blessings. It is so important that the term concludes the priestly benediction, is found liberally in the ending prayers of the “silent devotion”” and is a catchword in the grace after meals. What is more. we have been taught that when “shalom” is missing, virtually none of the other blessings in life can compensate for it.

But it would be a mistake to think that “shalom” simply means the absence of war. A country may be at peace with its neighbors, but because of widespread hunger and poverty, may not enjoy the blessing of “shalom.” Derived from the Hebrew root meaning wholeness, it signifies harmony despite differences, well-being of every conceivable kind, and above all, perfection. Accordingly, “shalom,” meaning “all perfect,” is one of the names of God in our tradition.

In short, “shalom” is more akin to a state of cooperation, helpfulness, good neighborliness, and friendly interaction.  

Yom Tov

Literally, the term means “a good day.” Over the centuries, however, it came to be used primarily on festivals, when Jews greeted one another with the expression “gut yom tov.”

The term has also been applied to any special occasion that raised a person above the mundane aspects of life or above pain, affliction, and daily concerns.

Torah

In its narrowest sense, the word Torah applies to the “Five Books of Moses,” variously referred to as the Pentateuch, the Law, or the Torah. It does have a wider connotation, however.

In earlier centuries, the term was extended to the traditional interpretations, commentaries, and laws embodied in rabbinic literature. Later it was broadened to include the entire body of Judaic culture—religion, ethics, education, etc.

More recently, it began to acquire the definition of learning in the widest sense of the word. It is not uncommon, to hear someone say, with reference to a skill or a piece of information already acquired, “That Torah I already know.”

Mitzvah

This term has many shades of meaning: good deed, commandment, the obligation to fulfill a Jewish law or commandment, the act of fulfilling a law or commandment, or simply an act of human kindness.

According to the rabbis, there are 613 mitzvot in the “Five Books of Moses.” They are divided into two categories: those between man and God, loosely characterized as ritualistic, and those between man and fellow man, customarily described as the ethical commandments. In contrast with Christianity, faith and belief are important, but they are not as significant as performance in Judaism—the fulfillment of a religious act.

Bar Mitzvah [Bat Mitzvah]

The term applied to a Jewish boy [girl] who has reached the age of 13 [12], indicating that he/she is considered an adult in the eyes of Jewish law, and therefore responsible for following all laws and commandments of Jewish observance (the term literally means “son [daughter] of the commandments.” The term is also used to refer to the celebration accompanying this milestone.

Chanukah

Literally, “dedication” in Hebrew. The winter holiday commemorating the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors called the Hasmoneans defeated the Syrians who had defiled the temple and attempted to force the Jews to assimilate. Also spelled Hanukkah (and in a number of other ways), as which see what Merriam Webster has to say about it.

Kippah (Kipa, Yarmulke, Kapele)

A hemispherical or platter-shaped cap, usually made of cloth, often worn by Orthodox Jewish men to fulfill the customary requirement held by some orthodox halachic authorities that their head be covered at all times, and sometimes worn by both men and, less frequently, women in Conservative and Reform communities at times of prayer. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kippah)

Kibbutz

An Israeli cooperative village. By now this word has entered the English vernacular; look it up in any good dictionary, such as Merriam Webster.

Mezuzah

Literally, “doorpost” in Hebrew. Refers to a small rectangular box or other container, found on a doorpost in a Jewish household, which holds a parchment containing several passages from the Torah. The Hebrew plural is “Mezuzot”, but it is frequently Anglicized as “Mezuzahs”. Religious households place Mezuzot in all exterior doorways and most interior doorways.

Read more about mezuzot here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezuzah

Pesach

The Hebrew name for the holiday of Passover. Well, actually, it would be more accurate to say that Passover is the English name for Pesach. See what Merriam Webster has to say about it.

Shabbat

The Jewish Sabbath, which begins at shortly before sundown on Friday night and ends about forty minutes after sundown on Saturday. See what Merriam Webster has to say about it.

Succah

Literally, “booth” or “hut” in Hebrew. The hut in which Jews live, or at least eat and perhaps sleep, during the holiday of Succot (whose name is the plural of “succah”). Here is a picture of a succah.

Succot

Literally, “booths” or “huts” in Hebrew; plural of succah. The Fall holiday commemorating the forty years spent by the Jews wandering in the desert before entering the land of Israel. The main ritual of Succot is the construction of huts similar to those in which the Jews lived in the desert, and “dwelling” (which usually means eating and sleeping, weather permitting) in them for a week.

Tallit (Tallis, Talet)

A Jewish prayer shawl. Pl.  tallitot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallit)

Yeshiva

A seminary of Jewish studies. Pl. Yeshivot

Sources:

- http://www.jewishscouting.org/

- http://www.mit.edu/people/jik/jewish-glossary.html

__________________________________________________________

Further Reading:

English words of Yiddish origin-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Yiddish_origin

Yiddish- http://www.jewish-languages.org/yiddish.html

Oy, gevalt- http://www.forward.com/articles/4093/

Book: Teens in Israel by Michael Burgan

Okay guys, that’s it for this blog post. Shukran (thanks) for reading! Please stay tuned, InshaaAllah! Wassalaam 3alaikum و السّلام عليكم (and Peace be with you)

Bye Bye,

Sam.

French

• 50 Ways To Improve Your French
• Barron’s French Idioms
• Learn French: The Fast And Fun Way (This book has tons of great worksheets and everything. It’s great for learning French!)
• 2,001 Most Useful French Words
• Say It Right in French: The Easy Way to Pronounce Correctly 
• Streetwise French
• Berlitz Hide This French Phrase Book

Italian

• 50 Ways To Improve Your Italian
• Berlitz Self-Teacher Italian (Personally, I don’t really care for these types of books, mainly because I don’t the things you learn in the first few chapters. Unless you have a base in the language, I don’t think this book will work for you.)
• Learn Italian: The Fast And Fun Way (This book has tons of great worksheets and everything. It’s great for learning Italian!)
• Barron’s Italian Idioms 
• Easy Italian Phrase Book: 770 Basic Phrases for Everyday Use 
• Correct Your Italian Blunders

Spanish

• 50 Ways To Improve Your Spanish
• Correct Your Spanish Blunders 
• Just Enough Spanish
• Dirty Spanish - Warning: This is really vulgar.
• Barron’s Complete Spanish Grammar Review 
• Making Out in Spanish (I think this title is great. I’ve never read this book, but if you’re looking for slang/everyday Spanish, this seems like a pretty good book.)
• Ven Conmigo! Grammar and Vocabulary Workbook: Level 1 (This is the actual workbook I use in my Spanish 1 class. It is great and I love it. If you want to teach yourself Spanish, I highly recommend getting a workbook like this.)
• Hide This Spanish Book (This has a lot for a small book. Mainly just some basic phrases, along with some that are more vulgar.)
• Hide This Spanish Book for Lovers (The title speaks for itself…)  
• Mierda! The Real Spanish You Were Never Taught In School
• Say It Right In Spanish

German

• 50 Ways To Improve Your German
• Dirty German - Warning: This is really vulgar.
• Say It Right In German: The Easy Way to Pronounce Correctly
• Easy Way to Enlarge Your German Vocabulary
• Barron’s German Idioms
• The Tell-Tale Heart - If you want to read in German, this seems like a pretty good book to get. 
• German-English Visual Dictionary
• Scheisse!: The Real German You Were Never Taught In School - I love all these books. They have them in every language (The title means “Shit”). Although it doesn’t have the pronunciations, its still pretty great for the vocabulary it has. It’s a bit vulgar though, but not too bad.

Portuguese 

• Just Enough Portuguese: How to Get by and Be Easily Understood
• Portuguese Verb and Essentials of Grammar
• Berlitz Portuguese Phrase Books & Dictionary
• 51 Portuguese Idioms - Speak Like a Brazilian 

Arabic

• Arabic-English Visual Dictionary
• The Arabic Alphabet: How to Read and Write It
• First 100 Words In Arabic
• Learn Arabic: The Fast and Fun Way
• Making Out In Arabic  
• Instant Arabic!

Japanese

• Berlitz Concise Dictionary
• Essential Kanji: 2,000 Basic Japanese Characters
• Colloquial Kansai Japanese: The Dialects and Culture of the Kansai Region
• Speak Japanese Today 
• Making Out In Japanese - I just bought this book, and it seems pretty great. 
• More Making Out In Japanese 

Korean

• Say It Right In Korean 
• Korean Made Easy
• Instant Korean
• First 100 Words In Korean
• Making Out In Korean
• More Making Out In Korean
• Korean For Travelers - I think this might only be a Nook book, which kind of sucks.
• Dirty Korean -  Warning: This is really vulgar.  
• Basic Korean: Workbook
• Intermediate Korean: Workbook - I’m not sure if this is worth getting because of the price, but it seems like a helpful book
• Korean At A Glance
• Teach Me Everyday Korean

Chinese

• Making Out In Chinese (I think this title is great. I’ve never read this book, but if you’re looking for slang/everyday Chinese, this seems like a pretty good book.)
• Mandarin Chinese - English Visual Dictionary
• Survival Chinese 
• Get Talking Chinese - This book is so great. It’s kind of like a children’s book, but for learning basic Chinese, it’s great.
• Hide This Mandarin Chinese Phrase Book 
• Instant Chinese!

Polish

• Say It In Polish 
• Berlitz Polish Concise Dictionary
• Berlitz Polish Phrasebook and Dictionary
• Polish: An Essential Grammar

Russian

• Learn Russian: The Fast and Fun Way
• Say It Right In Russian
• Russian Vocabulary
• Dermo!: The Real Russian Tolstoy Never Used
• Russian At A Glance
• Just Enough Russian

General Language Books

• Barron’s 501 Verbs (comes in French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Latin, Japanese, Hebrew, Arabic, English and German)

Note: I love Berlitz and Barron books for learning languages. Most are just reference books for verbs, grammar, or basic phrases instead of textbooks. But once you have a base in the language, they help you improve so much. I highly recommend buying any Berlitz or Barron language books. I love the 50 Ways To Improve Your books. They are the best grammar/vocab/correction language books ever. I use the Spanish one to help teach myself Spanish, and I absolutely love it. And it isn’t very expensive either!