Date: Wed, 29 Oct 1997 12:54:28 -0800

From: "A. Maberry" maberry[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]U.WASHINGTON.EDU

Subject: Re: ADS-L Digest - 27 Oct 1997 to 28 Oct 1997



On Wed, 29 Oct 1997, Larry Horn wrote:

One candidate for this status that I think doesn't really fit is the Yiddish

"yid", referring to a (Jewish) person. This word was around in Yiddish before

becoming a pejorative in German and English, I believe. Someone who knows the

history can correct me.



Turning to our trusty "Joys of Yiddish" by Leo Rosten, whether the term

"yid" (m.sing.)is offensive or not depends upon its pronunciation. If it

is pronounced so as to rhyme with "deed", it is neutral; if it is

pronounced to rhyme "did" it is offensive, since that is the way it would

be pronounced by non-Jews. The f.sing. form "yidene" is always offensive.

"Yid" itself is cognate with the German "Jude" and means literally "a

Jew". So far Rosten, however it would be interesting, to me at least, how

current Yiddish speakers perceive the word.



Allen

maberry[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]u.washington.edu