Yiddish - ײדיש

[BezierCurve]

But why can't they just use a normal post-alveolar fricative [ʃ]? What's with this Palatalised stuff [ɕ]?

I suppose it was necessary to emphasize the difference between ś/sz ([ɕ]/[ʂ]). Otherwise it would lead to misunderstanding when pronouncing, say, ściera/szczera.

@Timpul: If you use Windows XP go to the Control Panel / Regional And Language Options / Languages (you will have to tick the first checkbutton - to install right-to-left languages; you will also need drivers - either from a backup system partition or a system CD). If you're looking just for an online keyboard, here's a link:

http://mikledet.com/

The Hebrew layout there reflects exactly what you'll have after installing Hebrew keyboard on your system (if you decide to). The shortcut for changing languages while typing is left Alt + shift (default, I think).

[''']

But why can't they just use a normal post-alveolar fricative [ʃ]? What's with this Palatalised stuff [ɕ]?

I suppose it was necessary to emphasize the difference between ś/sz ([ɕ]/[ʂ]). Otherwise it would lead to misunderstanding when pronouncing, say, ściera/szczera.

but they don't even HAVE an [ʃ]. Why would they do such a thing?

[BezierCurve]

but they don't even HAVE an [ʃ]. Why would they do such a thing?

We might say that [ʃ] sounds like something between [ɕ] and [ʂ]. Thus it would be misleading, I suppose. Anyway, it is hard to answer that type of question

Why there is no rolling [r] in BBC English?

[''']

Dunno but it's hilarious. Half the anglos can't roll their R's. But I'm pissed cos I can;t pronounce the Hebrew R right...how how does Yiddish do it?

[BezierCurve]

But I'm pissed cos I can;t pronounce the Hebrew R right

Since the native speakers themselves pronounce it in at least three different ways, I was once told not to worry about that.

Not sure about the exact sound of R in Yiddish though... Suppose it is close to German R.

Have a look at the lovely old Yiddish lullaby:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq6LMaFu2OI

[Nukalurk]

German R is also pronounced in several ways, so just pick one you like best.

[''']

But I'm pissed cos I can;t pronounce the Hebrew R right

Since the native speakers themselves pronounce it in at least three different ways, I was once told not to worry about that.

But I manage to find a fourth, fifth and maybe even sixth way of pronouncing it. I'm not used to gutterals. Were it not for Dutch, pneumonia, and heavy metal, I'd be dead in the water.

[xadonis_chinitox]

hi guys,

I'm so interested in learning Yiddish.

how do you say the ff: in Yiddish:

Good morning

Good afternnon

good evening

how are you?

I'm fine

how's your day?

what time is it?

[ILuvEire]

Yiddish is a very nice language. Go to your local library. I can find many books on it. But I don't want to confuse it with my German. So, no thanks.

[Kuba]

Good morning

גוט מאָרגן /gut morgn/

Good afternnon

"afternoon" would be נאָכמיטאָג /nokhmitog/, but normally you don't use that in greetings.

good evening

גוטן אָװנט /gutn ovnt/

how are you?

?װאָס מאכט איר? װאָס מאכסטו /vos makht ir?/ (formal) /vos makhstu?/ (informal)

I'm fine, (thanks)

(גוט (, א דאנק /gut (, a dank)/

how's your day?

?װי איז אײַער טאָג? װי איז דײַן טאָג /vi iz ayer tog?/ (formal) /vi iz dayn tog?/ (informal) - I don't think you can use this phrase in Yiddish exactly the same way as in English, this is just a word-by-word translation...

what time is it?

?װיפל האלט דער זײגער /vifl halt der zeyger?/

[lishaoxuan]

I sat in a Yiddish class 3 times, but at the end I have to give it up cus the school has restrictions on credit hours for freshman.
Sad.......
I'll probably take this course next year, and before, I must work on my German so that I can learn Yiddish more easily.
This is my instructor, a really interesting guy.

[ILuvEire]

http://www.amazon.com/Yiddish-Dick-Jane ... 0316159727

This isn't your average "Fun with Dick and Jane" book. It also has some grammar points thrown in.

[''']

There is a youtube clip version thereof too, which I will find and post..when I get around to it.

[DANAY]

Be'emes a zeyr sheyne loshn ( shprokh kanshtu aykh zogn). ekh hob epes Yiddish gelernt, farvos ekh (=ikh) yiddishe liider liibhob.
Be-kol akavos (fiil glik) far all di layt, vos di shprokh lern. A groysn kus, Dany!!

[Balaur]

I just picked up a Yiddish grammar book for children, written in Yiddish, and am very eager to learn this language. I already speak some German, so I don't anticipate too many difficulties. I've begun to learn to read and write, but I've encountered some problems with slight inconsistencies in spelling between different sources, probably due to very few speakers of standard Yiddish. Does anyone know the official alphabet, meaning which letters and letter combinations it includes and excludes? I have encountered at least three different versions. Also, I can't find the names of the letters written in the Yiddish script, only transliterated. Are they just written as they are in Hebrew? because they're pronounced quite differently.

[neoni]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teach-Yourself- ... 0340927798

[Sean of the Dead]

There's one thing I can't figure out, and am hoping someone here can answer me. Does Yiddish use vowels in it's script, or is it an abugida like Hebrew is, with only consonants?

[eskandar]

Hebrew is actually an abjad, not an abugida. Yiddish is written with a true alphabet (modified from Hebrew); all vowels are indicated, some with letters, and some with vowel markings.

[Sean of the Dead]

Thanks, and I always seem to mix up the words "abjad" and "abugida".

[eskandar]

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Yiddish

Yiddish books online