h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can I pick your brains?

A researcher called Matthew is working on an edited guide entry on "untranslatable" words from other languages which have entered common usage in English. I've suggesed "chutzpah" as one example, which I think is Hebrew / Yiddish, but I'm not sure. I thought you'd probably know!

The discussion is at
F57152?thread=195107&latest=1

and if you could let us know, and possibly give us a better translation that I've offered, we'd be very grateful!

Best wishes

Otto

Hebrew may (or for sure..) sound you a little (or very, LOL) wierd, but there is NO such a word in Hebrew, or you spelled it wrong- i don't know.
Any way, Yiidish is actually a mix of europe-languages that jews in the latest centuries have made up so they can understand each other in all over the world, since most of them didn't knew hebrew until the 1900's, so IF there is such word in idish, there should be a similliar or the same word in an other language(s) too....

Any way, you may feel free to ask me about ANY word you think might be in hebrew, and if you want I can maybe think of some real words in hebrew that will probably sound to you wierd and/or funny...

Hi Yoav,

Thanks for this! I might have got it completely wrong and the word might come from somewhere else. But it might be that I've just spelt it wrong...

It means charismaticly daring or cheeky, nerve, front or something like that. I have a Jewish friend who uses it - I'll ask her.

TTFN

Otto

Ok, you're allways welcome, and I'll wait until you'll ask her and tell me ... Does she live in Israel?