The word “Schmuck“, when used correctly, is peerless in its ability to cut someone down to size. Having broken through into mainstream American English, it is arguably the single greatest Yiddish contribution to the western world (suck it, I.B. Singer).
But, with great power comes great responsibility, and as gatekeepers to such a powerful word we have an obligation to use it wisely. Thankfully, The Forward‘s Philologos is here to guide us with his recent article “When To Call A Schmuck A Schmuck“. It’s a good read, but the real treat is the accompanying video: “7 Great Uses Of Schmuck”, which features Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and even Led Zeppelin.
Want more? Check out this cluster-schmuck from KISS frontman Paul Stanley.
Cover image via
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