A heap of fun-sounding words:
A heap of fun-sounding words we have for some of us: Luther-ran (isn’t running fun?), Episcopalee-yan (a new type of currency), Method-dist (distancing ourselves from “It?”), Protestant (it’s fun to join the picket line), even small-c catho-lick (we love fudge-sicles!). So why do we give the poor Jews only two English words to call themselves: Jew and Jewish? Jewish reminds us of peev-ish and child-ish, ick and yuck. And wouldn’t Canadians feel more at home if they were Jews, and vicerey-versery? Guilt and apology go so well together, you will agree.
Which is why perhaps Jews find Yiddish (despite the -ishness, it has Yidd which sounds fun and even like a playful shape-shifting psychological character) and He-brew (who wouldn’t want a taste of what he brews?) so much fun.
:- Doug.
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