Re: kumt tsu geyn

[Robert A. Rothstein <rar...>]

Lori Cahan-Simon wrote:

> I need a little help with a translation.  Can you tell me what the
> phrase kumt tsu geyn means, as in the line from the yidish version of
> Eliyohu hanovi, "Kumt tsu gehn tsu undz farshtelt".

        kumen tsu geyn 'to come/arrive (on foot)
        kumen tsu forn 'to come/arrive (by vehicle)
        kumen tsu loyfn 'to come/arrive (running)
etc.
    This is probably an imitation of Slavic, which consistently
distinguishes different modes of travel or movement.  The corresponding
Polish verbs, for example, are:  przyjs'c'/ przyjechac'/ przybiec, while
leaving (on foot/by vehicle/running) are: wyjs'c'/wyjechac'/wybiec. (The
apostrophes are in place of acute accents over the preceding letters.)

            Bob Rothstein

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