mensch antonym??
mensch antonym??
I am fascinated by the Larry David character on the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" show.It occurred to me that he is the exact opposite of what can be described as a "mensch".But I have not been able to come up with an antonym that captures all the lovably boorish nuances of this character. Any suggestions?
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- Grand Panjandrum
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mensch antonym??
Thanks for your reply!
The character in question is egregiously crude while at the same time being hilariously funny. "Jerk" lacks the necessary nuance. Meshugener is too innocuous as is prost.
The character in question is egregiously crude while at the same time being hilariously funny. "Jerk" lacks the necessary nuance. Meshugener is too innocuous as is prost.
mensch antonym
But a "schmuck" is an outright, unregenerated dick-head. The term I am seeking has a modicum of saving grace adhering to it.
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- Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 1464
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:31 pm
- Location: Botucatu - SP Brazil
Re: mensch antonym??
I'd vote for Bulvan. Schmuck is probably too harsh...Thanks for your reply!
The character in question is egregiously crude while at the same time being hilariously funny. "Jerk" lacks the necessary nuance. Meshugener is too innocuous as is prost.
Stacey
I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead.
~~~JB~~~
I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead.
~~~JB~~~
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Re: mensch antonym??
I went through five Yiddish dictionaries before I found two that had it:. . .
I'd vote for Bulvan. Schmuck is probably too harsh...
bulvan
(Yid.) ox-like person
Browsing through The Ariga Glossary of Yiddish Expressions I found a few other candidates:Bulvan - Man built like an ox; boorish, coarse, rude person
Hmm . . . Manzer looks like a good candidate, or Nishtgutnick for a milder version.Bohmer - Bum (masc.)
Chochem attick - A wise guy
Ganef - Crook, thief, burglar, swindler, racketeer
Groisser gornisht - Big good-for-nothing
Manzer - Bastard, disliked person, untrustworthy
Nebbish - A nobody, simpleton, weakling, awkward person
Nebechel - Nothing, a pitiful person; or playing role of being one
Nishtgutnick - No-good person
Nudnik - Pesty nagger, nuisance, a bore, obnoxious person
Nudje - Annoying person, badgerer (Americanism)
Opnarer - Trickster, shady operator
Parech - Low-life, a bad man
Paskudnik, paskudnyak - Ugly, revolting, evil person; nasty fellow
Prostak - Ignorant boor, coarse person, vulgar man
Proster mentsh - Vulgar man, common man
Shlemiel - Clumsy bunglar, an inept person, butter-fingered; dopey person
Shlepper - Sponger, panhanddler, hanger-om; dowdy, gossipy woman, free-loader
Shlub - A jerk; a foolish, stupid or unknowing person, second rate, inferior
Shmendrik - nincompoop; an inept or indifferent person; same as shlemiel
Shmo(e) - Naive person, easy to deceive; a goof (Americanism)
Shmok (taboo) - Self-made fool; obscene for penis: derisive term for a man
Shmulky! - A sad sack!
Shnorrer - A beggar who makes pretensions to respectability; sponger, a parasite
Traifnyak - Despicable person; on who eats non-kosher food
Trombenik - A bum, no-good person, ne'er-do-well; a faker
Tsutsheppenish - Hanger-on; unwanted companion; pest; nuisance
Yatebedam - A man who threatens; one who thinks he's a "big shot"; a blusterer
Yukel - Buffoon
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
The primary meaning of mamzer (> Jid. manzer) in Modern Hebrew is a bastard child but the word has developed a secondary meaning of (unexpectedly) good. For a small but durable engine, a car mechanic would say:
.זה קטן אכל ממזר
Ze qaTan aval mamzer.
It's small but strong.
I expected to find this sense in Larry's three Jiddisch dictionarys but was surprised not to find any.
Flam
.זה קטן אכל ממזר
Ze qaTan aval mamzer.
It's small but strong.
I expected to find this sense in Larry's three Jiddisch dictionarys but was surprised not to find any.
Flam
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