Expert: Aiden Barr - 8/8/2002

Question
i guess the subject line says it all.

i think i know what it means.  knickknacks, stuff, junk?

havent a clue how it may be pronounced.  chahtkeys?

is there an online dictionary that would have such?  bartleby didn't, unless both my spellings were wrong.  (with and without s)

also, same question for meshuggenah.  bad guy? mashoogunuh?

thanks so much

Answer
Dear Kathleen,

Both words are Yiddish variations of their original Hebrew.

The first, prnonounced tchah-tch-keez or tchah-tch-kiss in plural and tchah-tch-ka in the singular, comes from the Hebrew Tza-a-tzu-a, which means toy. The Yiddish phrase usually refers to unnecessary items that someone might own, like playthings or new gadgets.

The second word, pronounced meshuginuh or meshiginah, is based on the Hebrew words Meshuga and Shiga'on. Meshuga means someone who is crazy, Shiga'on is a craziness or foolishness; thus meshuginuh means someone who is crazy.

All the best,
Aiden