Henry Roth - Mercy of a Rude Stream - The Complete Novels

KHUMITZcrumbs; matzah crumbs scattered before the Passover

KHUNTER(vulgarism) “cunt,” whore

KHUPPAwedding canopy

KHUSINgroom

KIDDUSH HA SHEMin honor of the lord

KINDERLEKHchildren

KINDT “MEIN KINDT”son, “my child”

KISHKAstomach, or dish made of stuffed stomach

KISHKEHS, KISHKELAH, KISHKELIKHstuffed pastries; (coll.) genitalia, innards

KLEEGEclever

KLETCHMERstring band that traditionally plays at weddings

KNISH(vulgarism) cunt

KNUBLgarlic

KOCKERshit (person)

KOLKIbullet

KOLLEH MOITgirl old enough to be a bride

KOMETS-ALEPH, “O”; KOMETS-BETH, “BO”; KOMETS-GIMEL, “GO”Hebrew syllables combining the vowel komets (“o”) with the consonants aleph, beth, and gimel, as recited by child learning to read

KOPFhead

KOPTSNbeggar

KOPTSN BRIDERLpoor little brother

KOYENHebrew priest, descendant of priest of ancient Israel

KREPLACHa stuffed pasta dish, similar to meat-filled ravioli

KUBELLAcow

KUGELcasserole of noodles or potatoes

KUPFhead, mind

KUSHENIRKEfemale shopper, haggler

KVETCHcomplain

KVOORIMtombs

LANDSFRAUlandlady

LANDSLAYTfellow immigrants from the same hometown or region (German LANDSLEUTE)

L’CHAIMto life

LEMEKHlame, clumsy, awkward fool

LEYDNsuffering

LIGNERliar

L’KUVET SHABBESin honor of the Sabbath

LOIFT SHOYNhe is running already

LOKSHNnoodles

LOKSHN-TREGERnoodle porter

LOTKEHSpancakes

LUSHIN KOYDISHholy tongue

LUSST NISHT AUSREDDEN A VORTyou don’t let me get in a single word

LYMINEH GOLEMclay monster

LYUPKA(Polish) love

MAKHERbusinessman, big shot, big wheel

MAKH GELTmake money

MAKH SHNELmake haste

MALAMUTHebrew teacher

MALKHUMAHwar

MAMALEHdear mother

MARTIRAmartyr

MATZAHunleavened bread

MAZELluck

MAZEL TOV(S)best wishes, congratulations

MEESEH CHAIYEugly animal

MEGILLAHlong story

MEGST TAKEH GEYN IN DER ERDyou can drop dead

MEHVINmaven

MEIN KADDISH’L IZ DUHmy child is here; lit. “the one who will say Kaddish is here”

MEIN KINDTmy child

MEIN ORMEH MANNmy poor husband

MEIN ORRIM KINDTmy poor child

MELAMEDHebrew teacher

MENSHman; honorable or admirable man; a good-hearted person; MENSHENmen; MENSHELEHlittle man

MESHINKEHmachine

METdeath

MIKVEHritual bath

MILKHDIKfoods prepared with dairy products

MINCHAHdaily afternoon prayers

MINYANassembly of ten men necessary for religious services; quorum

MIR NISHT, DIR NISHTnothing to me, nothing to you

MISHIGOSSmadness

MISHNAHinterpretations of Biblical texts forming the older part of the Talmud

MISHPOKHArelatives, family

MISHUGENEHcrazy; MISHUGEH AUF TOITcrazy as a loon

MESHUGENERcrazy person

MIT GESUNDHEITwith health; do it in good health

MITZVAHgood deed or Biblical commandment

M’MAKHT A LEBNI’m making a living

MOHELperson who circumscises a child at a bris

MOISHE KAPOYERa person who does everything wrong or in reverse

MOMINYOOdear mother

MOSHAVfarm, commune

MUJIKRussian peasant

NA, A DRITTLEokay, a third

NAFKEwhore

NARfool

NEKHTIGER TOGlost hope; something impossible; lit. “yesterday’s day”

NISHT B’MUTCHKEHit’s not much

NISHT KOSHERnot kosher; not right

NOKH A BISSELEH, NOKH A SHISSELEHjust a little bit

NOOwell, well now, so

NOO, VUS DENwell, what then

NOSHsnack

NUDNICKnagger, nuisance

NUR BRING MIR NISHT KEIN BENKARTjust don’t bring me a bastard

NUR DEMonly the

OONA TATEHpoor father

ORMEHorphan

ORRIMEN TALYANERpoor Italians

OUKHalso

OUSGESHTUDIERTlearned

OV TOITcompletely

OYoh

OY, GEVALDcry of alarm, concern, or amazement

OY, VEHoh, woe; OY, VEH IZ MIRoh, woe is me

PARAKUTSKIElow-life

PARVEHKosher term indicating that the food is compatible with meat and dairy

PASKUDNYACKscoundrel; an odious person

PAVOLLYEHslow

PECHAHcalves’ feet in aspic

PEIGERN ZOLLST DEHhe should drop dead

PESACHPassover

PETZELpenis

PEYOTHearlocks worn by devout Orthodox male Jews (Hebrew; PEYESin Yiddish)

PIPICKnavel

PIROGENpotato and dough dumplings

PISHERone who urinates; insignificant person

PISHKEHa little pisser, alms-box

PLOTZburst

POGROMan organized assault on Jews

POORITZsmart guy

POTATEH KUGELpotato pudding

PRUSTsimple, crude

PRUSTER ARBEITERplain worker, worker on lowest level

RABOINISH HA LOILIM(Hebrew) God in Heaven, Master of the Universe

REBBEHHasidic rabbi

RIEBAHSELgrater

ROMANserial romance, novel

ROVrabbi

RUGELEHpastry

RUSJINKEHlittle Russian

SCHADENFREUDEpleasure in other’s misfortunes (German)

SCHMALTZfat

SCHMALTZYfatty

SEDERPassover service

SEH GURNISHTit’s nothing

SEH HEIST KESSEFit’s called money

SEHR GUTvery good

SELAHbe it so

SELTZER CUST GELDTseltzer costs money

SEYKHLintelligence, common sense

SHABBESthe Sabbath

SHABBES BAY NAKHTSabbath evening (Saturday night)

SHANDEshame

SHAYNnice, good