Learning Yiddish.

[Mark Gabel <virgo...>]

>  Words are building blocks of ideas. If you don't have enough
>  blocks, then get some more, but please don't take them away from your
>  neighbor!
> 
>  Let the writer write as he or she likes! It's *our job as interested
>  readers to understand *them.

I have to say I agree completely with Mike on this one.  While I
understand completely the point that Alex is trying to make here, those
of you who are posting in Yiddish should understand that there may be a
number of us -- including many lurkers -- who are not QUITE as into
Yiddish, cantorial, and klezmer culture as you are.

Now, I am subscribed to this list because I am interested in Jewish
Music, especially klezmer, and I enjoy reading the postings that spark
my interest and teach me something new about the music (frankly, I
usually skim the rest without paying close attention).

Yes, I know that if I REALLY wanted to, I could learn Yiddish (my
grandmother was trying to teach me for years before she passed away),
but frankly, I'm a very busy person as it is, and I just don't have the
time.  I would like to be able to enrich my life with the postings on
this list -- not to mention the music -- without having to invest the
hours and hours needed to gain a working understanding of Yiddish!

Itzik has a point in that there isn't much untranslated Yiddish on the
list, but Mike also has a point in that when there is, some of us who
might be interested can't read it.

To me, suggesting that people like myself who can't (or even won't)
invest the time to learn Yiddish are not putting forth the necessary
effort to truly appreciate klezmer is a little unfair.  Would you
suggest that I watch the films of Ingmar Bergman without subtitles, and
then, if I complained, tell me that if I really want to understand, I
should learn Swedish?  Would you force me to read the novels of Italo
Calvino or Umberto Eco or watch the films of Fellini in Italian, because
if I really wanted to appreciate them, I would learn Italian?  I would
never have been able to appreciate Isaac Bashevis Singer if I had not
been able to read him in English.  Yes, I know something is lost in the
translation, but so much more is gained in the fact that I am able to
read him at all!

I might also extend the issue to Yiddish lyrics on klezmer albums.  I
borrowed a terrific klezmer CD from a friend a while back, but sadly,
without translations of the Yiddish lyrics in the CD insert booklet, I
had no idea what they were about.  Some of the songs I was already
familiar with, but others I wasn't.  And that's too bad, because it
could have expanded my knowledge of the music.  I have even picked up
tiny tidbits of Yiddish from such translations, so maybe I am learning a
bit of it after all!

And yes, I could request translations, but it is SO much easier to just
have them provided upfront.  Bravo to those, such as the Klezmatics, who
do so!

mark