(Nitra Yeshiva Students during WWII)
In a setting today where most of the interacting between kids is done in English, the consequences are many, what I'll speak about is what happens next, and what's most disheartening to me. Maybe it's from watching and listening to too much Uncle Moishy, and maybe it's natural for English-speaking kids these days, but it's too much to handle. I'm speaking of a total "Anglicization" of everything and anything Hebrew. The Tzeyrey has become a Segol, the Cholom a Kometz, and let's not talk about the Reish and what that sounds like now. Let me give "ah ferinstance".
In Bentchen:
1) U'vtuvoy Hagodul, instead of Godoyl. (or HaGodeyl) :)
2) Baavur Shmoy Hagodul, instead of HaGodoyl. (or HaGodeyl) :)
3) Umeitiv Lakul, instead of Lakoyl. (or LaKeyl) :)
4) HaZon es Hakul, instead of Hakoyl. (or HaKeyl) :)
In Krias Shma:
1) Shma Yisroel, instead of Yisroeyl.
2) Beyodcho.... Hashem Kel Emes, instead of Keyl.
The list goes on, and it drives me crazy! Why must Chasidishe boys sound like Bais Yaakov girls?!
I don't want to pressure kids to sound and speak a certain way because I'm afraid they'll grow to up resent the Yiddish language, and everything it stands for. So my question is as follows; How do we go about rectifying the situation without the afore-mentioned problems arising?
Any intelligent input would be appreciated.
(Photo by Roman Vishniac)
my five year old daughter had the most beatiful sounding semi gutteral reish when speaking yiddish until that very day when her class learned the english R. straight into the toilet....i've tried to correct her in a playful way not to default into the R keeping in mind that she shouldn't resent me or yiddish....i wanted to call her teacher up and give her an earfull..but I didn't want my daughter's teacher to think i was nuts....
ReplyDeleteeliding i think is the word, where it is natural for a speaker to modify the last sylable or vowel sound so as not to contort his mouth to much and make language flow....
ReplyDeleteTzig
ReplyDeletewhy the worry? the accent you look for is nothing more than the old version of the American accent. Meaning, that the RRRRRRReish and GoDEYl that you so desperately seek is nothing more than what the Goyim sound like in Europe. So why insist on sounding like a Russian Puyer when you can sound like an Amerikaner?
Avremel
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your consoling words, but old is always better than new when it comes to this. Besides, why would you like to sound like an "Merikaner"?
this whole issue is "kleyn keppldig"
ReplyDelete1)avremel is right re: what diiference.....
2)tzig, how did they speak in Rashi's time? would you be able to carry a conversation with Rashi?
Or better yet would a european jew before the war be able to hold is own with Rashi?
Bottom line languages evolve constantly. (the only kosher evolution)
oich mir
ReplyDeleteif so why is so much emphasis placed on it in yeshivos and society today?
avremel,
ReplyDeletegood point...the goyim spoke like this...
Where is Berl? I know he will have much to say on THIS topic...
ReplyDeleteOf course accents evolve, however ther eis a bib mish mash on many accents in hebrew reading today.
ReplyDeleteBut, more troubeling to me is the way a pasuk may be broken up.
ReplyDeleteBecause of certain rhymes or tunes that kids learn, they often are taught to misread a pasuk - l'moshul:
Have you ever heard a child say, "Modeh ani lefanecha, melech chai v'kayim, shehechezarta bi nishmosi, b'chemla rabba emunasecha.
Why is that comma not after b'chemla?
There are many like this...
opposite issue:i cannot do homework with my 5 year old.my ha'varah is not acceptable in his 'hunk' style yeshiva.the joke is his rebbe is a chabadzka
ReplyDeletequestion?
ReplyDeletewhy do we use the havarah of Chailam from alter russiah and not also the Sin (for shin)?
ce, Now, what you bring up is a totally different issue, and a valid one at that.
ReplyDeletethe sin-shin is only in di Lita, not all of Russia.
ReplyDeleteamshinover - why do you send him to such a Yeshiva ? Pull him out before it gets worse !
ReplyDeleteTzig what was the name of the alter rebbes wife?
ReplyDeleteSterna,
nonamshinover why should i care how he mispronounces his hebrew, like a hunk or a lewbob or a Modern orthodox or a litvak or a yeshiva guy if it ain't tay'mon it ain't hebrew
ReplyDeletewho decided that the Taymones got it right?
ReplyDeleteThe worst American mispronunciation is the chirik instead of the shevo at the start of a word, for example VIhavieynu letziyon irecho.
ReplyDelete