Yiddishism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A word or expression adopted from Yiddish into another language, especially English ; a distinctive grammatical construction or linguistic pattern that is typical of Yiddish speech
2. A Yiddish word or phrase used in another language, particularly English ; a language feature or manner of speaking that reflects Yiddish grammar or style
3. An English word derived from Yiddish ; a speech habit, idiom, or grammatical trait characteristic of the Yiddish language as it appears in other languages

Etymology: Yiddishism is one of those words where the history is plain: it is simply "Yiddish" with the suffix "-ism" attached, the same pattern that produces words like Anglicism or Hebraism. The suffix comes from Greek "-ismos" through Latin "-ismus" and Old French "-isme," and it signals a practice, a doctrine, or a characteristic feature of something. So a Yiddishism is a word, phrase, or idiom that is characteristic of Yiddish, or one that has been borrowed from Yiddish into another language, most often English. The term is used mainly in two senses. In linguistics and lexicography, it refers to a Yiddish word or expression that has entered English or another language, such as "chutzpah" or "schlep." Writers and critics also use it for a Yiddish-flavoured turn of phrase, a construction that reflects Yiddish grammar or idiom even when the words themselves are English. Because it is built transparently from its parts, its meaning is easy to recover from the form alone, which is typical of formations of this kind.

Synonyms: Yiddishism