Yiddish Dictionary
Use our Yiddish Dictionary to translate words from English to Yiddish.
This Yiddish Dictionary has been used to help you find the Yiddish for words that you may not have previously known.
Things to Know about a Yiddish Dictionary
Although debate still rages on as to whether Yiddish is a separate language of its own or not, most will agree to the definition that Yiddish is a High German language with its distinctive origins in the Ashkenazi Jewish group. As insular as its origins may have been, it is now spoken all over the world in countries as diverse as the United States, Canada, Russia, Mexico, Moldova, Australia and France.
With many words borrowed from German dialects fused with Hebrew, Aramaic and Slavic languages, Yiddish also lends many of its words to the English language. We can mention chutzpah, klutz and kosher as among three of the numerous words English speakers have adopted into the language with ease. However, not all Yiddish words can be easily understood non non-speakers and so in comes the Yiddish dictionary.
Reasons for Turning to a Yiddish Dictionary
Knowing the true meaning of a Yiddish word adopted by the English language is just one of the many reasons for looking into the possibility of owning a Yiddish dictionary. Other individuals have more expansive reasons for looking at a Yiddish dictionary, be it online or on old-fashioned text.
You may have decided to learn Yiddish for personal purposes, which a Yiddish dictionary will come in handy to look up new words. Your forays into the world of Yiddish literature yielded new words that you have no prior knowledge of and a Yiddish dictionary will definitely help in understanding these new words, thus, appreciating the literature in a new light as well. You can also refer to the Yiddish dictionary to finally know what your family and friends, who are more fluent in the Yiddish language than you possibly can be in the near future, were saying under their breaths about you - no need to like the words, of course, but it is good to finally know.
Your new job also demands working with plenty of Yiddish speakers and increasing your knowledge of the words will be good for your career and your professional relationships with co-workers. You may already be fluent in the Yiddish language but when talking to Yiddish speakers from other countries with whom you have no other common language, you are stumped for words.
Indeed, there are so many reasons to turn to a Yiddish dictionary in the course of speaking, reading and writing in the language. But beware as the Yiddish language may be a very important language in the world but it does not have a standard comprehensive monolingual or bilingual dictionary in the tradition of, say, Merriam-Webster's English dictionary. Many people have to resort to consulting at least half a dozen books - reference sources, German dictionary and even an online dictionary like Wiktionary.org - to offset such an absence.
Standardized and Yet Flexible
Keep in mind that Yiddish is a living language, which means that it has influenced and continues to influence the language of the place where it is spoken. In short, the Yiddish language often borrows other words from other languages in the same way that other languages borrow from it. Despite such ongoing lending of words, literary Yiddish still possess a fairly standardized usage amongst speakers with a few exceptions to account for the place and time in which certain words are used.
Yiddish also exists in various dialects within the language that, more often than not, vary in both grammar and vocabulary. Again, this can be attributed to the many languages that Yiddish speakers come into contact with so much so that the differences in definition, context and even usage can be extreme. Yes, even the differences between American English and British English will pale in comparison.
And then there is also the fact that, if a foreign word does not have an equivalent meaning in the Yiddish language, it will be transliterated into Yiddish letters to come up with new words. Indeed, the Yiddish language being a living language, any Yiddish dictionary should try to keep up with the changes as these happen - if the publishers of the dictionary can do so, that is.
With all these information on hand, you will realize the importance of having an updated Yiddish dictionary on hand. Or at least, as updated as can be given the oft-fast changes happening in and to the language. Although the situation may seem unmanageable at first glance, it is actually manageable if and when you know where to start.
Practical Advice in Using a Yiddish Dictionary
Now, let's discuss choosing the right kind of Yiddish dictionary. First and foremost, you must buy a Yiddish dictionary in your own language. Or of you speak many languages, in your first language of choice. You will find many types of Yiddish dictionaries catering to specific foreign languages, a few of which are the following:
* For French speakers, Niborski's Yiddish dictionary (published in 2002) is the best option. In fact, it is widely considered as the best Yiddish dictionary so far because it includes a wide range of Yiddish words but distinguishes majority of them by register - scientific or literary, colloquial or slang - as well as by dialect.
* For English speakers, the first purchase would have to be Weinreich's Modern English-Yiddish Yiddish-English dictionary. Its spellings are of the modern versions while thousands of idioms and other expressions are included in this Yiddish dictionary, which has outlasted its rivals since it publication in 1968.
* For supplementation purposes, the 1928 Harkavy's dictionary is useful especially when dealing with words that are not of Hebrew or Aramaic origin.
For many Yiddish students, it is often best to combine two or more Yiddish dictionaries to fully understand and appreciate the words. For example, native Yiddish speakers and students in the intermediate level are advised to secure both the Harkavy's and the Niborski's dictionaries.
But the best way to appreciate the importance of the right choice in a Yiddish dictionary is to steep yourself in the works of the Yiddish writers, speak the Yiddish language and write in Yiddish. You may be able to write a Yiddish dictionary of your own, too!
Resources:
Overview of a Yiddish Dictionary
Refoyl's
bi-directional Yiddish-English Dictionary
Famous Jews
Additional Dictionaries
