Hooray for Yiddish: A Book About English

Plot

The English dictionary contains many Yiddish words that have won acceptance in our everyday language. We shlep our bags to the car, admire the chutzpa of an ambitious businesswoman, and laugh at the shtick of our favorite comedian. In this book, author Leo Rosten explores the aspects of Yiddish that make it a uniquely expressive, funny, and catchy language. In addition to vocabulary, other elements of Yiddish have affected English, such as word order: smart, he isn't; beautiful, she's not; lucky, they are. A delight for everyone who loves words, this guide is a celebration of a language that continues to bring richness and vitality to everyday speech.