If You Can't Say Anything Nice by Epstein, L.B. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Table of Contents 1 - From Secret for Survival to Worldwide Language

Where Yiddish started Moving east splits the language Finding a home in Poland Acknowledgments

2 - You Too Speak Yiddish and You Might Not Even Know It!

Yiddish at your breakfast or dinner table Yiddish for when you need that special expression Yiddish for categorizing people and what they do Yiddish for when things just aren’t right

3 - The Yiddish Worldwide Revival

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research National Yiddish Book Center Mendele Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre Living Traditions Jewish Theater The Workmen’s Circle The California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language Bar Ilan University Rena Costa Center for Yiddish Studies Ari Davidow’s Klezmer Shack

4 - Now How Do I Say That? 5 - How to Hold a Grudge—Yiddish-Style

Wishing someone calamity, destruction, disaster and misfortune Wishing someone a not-so-pleasant long life Wishing someone the worst luck possible Using a fire wish Using cats and dogs to hold a grudge Using demons

6 - Yiddish Curses—Short and Sweet

Say the f word in Yiddish ... Use Yiddish to tell someone to go take a sh ... Get creative using Yiddish to say “kiss my ass” Yiddish uses a more friendly sounding way to say “go to hell” Someone bothering you? Yiddish can help you vent that Shut someone up using Yiddish Call them fools, morons and idiots in Yiddish Throwing in a few Yiddish body parts A few other yiddish shorts for wishing the worst

7 - The Perfect Phrase for the Perfect Putz

Yiddish pet name for that idiot you know Just the right Yiddish name for that clumsy friend Naming the incompetent people in your life in Yiddish Yiddish name for someone who’s just plain annoying Giving bastards a Yiddish nickname

8 - Yiddish Body Blows

Taking Yiddish blows to the head, teeth, neck and tongue Doing in the bones using Yiddish body blows Going inside the body with Yiddish body blows Body-wide Yiddish body blows

9 - Wishing Someone Ill—Yiddish-Style

Wishing frequent doctor visits Wishing food troubles Wishing stomach troubles Causing yourself illness Hoping someone chokes Wishing general body-wide illnesses

10 - Yiddish Mind Games

Wishing someone crazy Talking about fools ... or fools talking Passing on one’s troubles Passing on words of wisdom

11 - Money Madness in Yiddish

Friends or enemies—and your money Rich men and their money Money wisdoms Love/hate relationship with money Hard to hold on to your money

12 - The Ultimate Yiddish Curse—Drop Dead!

Telling someone to drop dead ... Telling someone to go to hell ... Telling someone to go to the devil ... Wishing someone meets the Angel of Death Finding creative burial methods Looking forward to mourning someone

English to Yiddish Glossary Yiddish to English Glossary Copyright Page