This fascinating, useful, and funny collection of proverbs, curses, maxims, and ribald expressions will teach readers all they ever wanted to know about this remarkable language.

Containing over 8,500 Yiddish words and phrases in transliteration, The Yiddish Dictionary Sourcebook is the handiest guide available for those who wish to learn colloquial Yiddish. It features a comprehensive Yiddish-English/English-Yiddish dictionary which pays special attention to those words most useful for everyday conversation. Every word is given in both its standard Yiddish form and in English transliteration. The Introduction provides a brief history of the Yiddish language and of Yiddish culture in the United States in the last century, a guide to Yiddish pronunciation and grammar, and a series of topically arranged appendices containing Yiddish proverbs and popular expressions.

This Yiddish-English dictionary includes over 4,000 Romanized word-to-word entries; an appendix of idiomatic expressions & proverbs; and an appendix of common words used in the English language.

The transliterated and translated proverbs are arranged by Hebrew subject; a complete index in English accompanies the text.

“The tongue is the pen of the heart/Di tsung iz der feder fun di hartz” and more sayings that sum up Jewish character and culture from generations past. Decade after decade, Yiddish proverbs continue to capture the humor, warmth, and traditions of Jewish life. Now, the beloved Yiddish Wisdom has been expanded with even more proverbs and fresh illustrations to be cherished by a new generation. With more than 150 folk sayings translated in Yiddish and English—from the whimsical and witty (Dress up a broom and it will also look nice/Az men batziert a bezem iz er oich shain) to the poignant (When one must, one can/Az me muz, ken men) and practical (When you look to the heights, hold on to your hat/Az du kukst oif hoicheh zachen, halt tsu dos hitl)—this treasured volume is the perfect gift for any celebration.