Mendele: Yiddish literature and language
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Contents of Vol. 6.034
July 18, 1996

1) Prost vs. balebatish yidish (Rick Gildemeister)
2) "Shpilt-zhe mir a lidele..." (Bob Rothstein)
3) "Shpilt-zhe mir a lidele..." (Ellen Prince)
4) Finding Eve Sicular (Scott Mendel)
5) Zena Kamaiky (Harriet Fineberg)

1)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 96 12:08:12 EDT
From: eeglc%cunyvm.bitnet@yalevm.cis.yale.edu
Subject: Prost vs. balebatish yidish

We get into a lot of discussion of dialects and dialect features, but we
approach the subject in a typically American way -- "in America we have
no social classes". In fact I would imagine dialects of Yiddish, a
European language,would have pronounced differences in pronunciation and
syntax that serve as class markers.

The case that comes to mind is sabesdiker losn. I go over to Boro Park,
and hear these differences quite strongly. Educated Litvaks don't use
sabesdikn loshn but a lot of proste layt do.

I think we should discuss this. Mikhl? Vos iz dayn meyning deriber? Un
andere layt, dertseylt undz ayere mishpokhedike verter vi me hot bay
aykh in hoyz zey geredt.

Rick Gildemeister

2)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 16:38:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: rar@slavic.umass.edu
Subject: "Shpilt-zhe mir a lidele..."

Jill Milians asked (6.033) about a song beginning with the words
"Shpilt-zhe mir a lidele fun yidish."  Known as "A lidele in yidish" or
"A lidele fun sholem," the song can be found in _Jewish Folk Songs:
Anthology_, compiled by Max Goldin and edited by Izaly Zemtsovsky,
published (in Yiddish/Russian/English) in St. Petersburg in 1994.
Goldin attributes the text to Iosif Kotliar and describes the melody as
a transformation of a Moldavian wedding song.

Essentially the same melody can be found (under the title "Yidishe
tango") in Shmerke Kaczerginsky's [Katsherginski] _Lider fun di getos un
lagern_ (NY, 1948) and, in a more elaborate version (also as "Yidishe
tango") in  _30 geto lider_, arranged by Henech Kon (NY, 1960).
Kaczerginsky calls the ghetto song a reworking of a similar text and
melody from before the war.

Chana and Yosl Mlotek wrote about the song some years ago in their
column in the _Forverts_; perhaps they could supply additional
information.

Bob Rothstein

3)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 12:33:23 EDT
From: ellen@central.cis.upenn.edu
Subject: "Shpilt-zhe mir a lidele..."

there are probably many but one close one is _dos klezmerl_, attributed
to khon and naiman on one recording i have, sung by sarah gorby and
produced in argentina. the words as sung on this record are:

shpil zhe mir a nigndl oyf yidish,
es meg zayn misnagdish oder khasidish.
az di babenyu aleyn
zol kenen dos farshteyn
un take a tentsele geyn.
oy oy oy, shpil, shpil, klezmerl, shpil,
vi a yidish harts, mit gefil.
shpil, shpil, shpil a tentsele far mir,  |bis
nor ikh bet dikh, mit neshome, mit gefil.|

shpil zhe mir a nigndl fun pleytn,
fun a folk tsuwzeytn un tsushpreytn,
az kinder groys un kleyn
zoln kenen dos farshteyn,
un take a tentsele geyn.

oy oy oy shpil, shpil, klezmerl, shpil,
vi a yidish harts, mit gefil.
shpil, shpil, shpil a tentsele far mir,  |bis
nor ikh bet dikh, mit neshome, mit gefil.|

shpil zhe mir a nigndl fun sholem,
es zol nit zayn a kholem, nor a sholem,
az kinder groys un kleyn
zoln shoyn kenen dos farshteyn,
un take a tentsele geen.

oy oy oy shpil, shpil, klezmerl, shpil,
vi a yidish harts, mit gefil.
shpil, shpil, shpil a tentsele far mir,
nor ikh bet dikh, mit neshome, mit gefil.

hope this helps.

ellen prince

4)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 96 14:13:05 CDT
From: sm21@midway.uchicago.edu
Subject: Finding Eve Sicular

Does anyone know how I can reach Eve Sicular, who gave a talk on
"Homosexuality in Yiddish Film" at Mameloshen 96?  I'm putting together
a syllabus on Yiddish film and would like to know if she has published
any of her work, or would make a manuscript available.

Please respond to me via email. Thanks in advance,

Scott Mendel

5)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 21:42:54 -0400
From: harfein@aol.com
Subject: Zena Kamaiky

For the forthcoming two-volume encyclopedia, Jewish Women in America,
co-edited by Paula Hyman and Deborah Dash Moore, is there someone who
would like to prepare a 500-word entry on Zena Kamaiky (1868-1954), wife
of Yiddish newspaper publisher Leon Kamaiky (1864-1928)?

Second question: is there anyone with information beyond what is found
in standard sources on Yiddish actress Jennie Moscowitz? Would  you be
willing to share that information with the person preparing the
encyclopedia entry about her? (It isn't me.)

Please contact me directly. Thanks,

Harriet Feinberg

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End of Mendele Vol. 6.034