Odd Jewish-Issue Poll

[gnomi]

...growing out of a conversation with estherchaya.

[Poll #859582]

Comments

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

This is a German-speaker's perspective...I would say 'Dreidln' and Hamentasche. Since Taschen, in German, is the plural of Tasche. But there is rarely, if ever, a singular one of those pastries anywhere near me for very long. ::munch::

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I thought the plural of dreidel was dreidel, sort of the way I thought the plural of fish was fish.

Which means, really, I don't know, but it was one of those linguistic pecularities that have probably driven those I know crazy for years.

Also, have you ever read ozarque? She has had a wealth of language posts lately, very political, but great reading and perchance of interest to you.

Also, remind me to tell you the story of my fledgling sci-fi author in residence. *big grin*

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I am also prone to an extra "E", but I bet you noticed.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

And I'm not sure if there's an E or not there; I tend to write it without, but since the spelling's transliterated from the Yiddish, it's somewhat malleable.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought of "dreidl"/"dreidel" in the same category as "fish." Now I will have to ponder.

of course, fish don't spin nearly as well.

I read ozarque all the time. I find her fascinating.

Ooh! Do tell story! :-)

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I can't go into it all now, as I'm already 3 hours past deadline on a white paper that's only half done (can we say procrastination!) but Harmony has written a 15 page space epic that involves transporting all the 'enemies' to another planet and then attempting to blow said planet up and the corp of 'goods' that are trying to stop the gov. from blowing up the enemy planet, because whether you like it or not, blowing people up is wrong -- plus!! (Exclamation points are a vital element of her prose) there may be small alien creatures living inside the shell of the planet, like 'worms with branes.'

I'm so proud I am literally walking on air today.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

That's adorable!!

And good luck on the white paper.

[llennhoff.livejournal.com]

I've considered Hamentaschen both the singular and plural form, although I certainly add an s to pluralize dreidel.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I have never thought of hamentaschen as anything but hamentaschen, singular or plural. That's what I call one; it's what I call many.

[42itous.livejournal.com]

Sure: it's a mass noun. A single triangular jam-filled cookie, while unconscionable, can also be referred to as a "piece of hamantaschen."

[tygerseye.livejournal.com]

Hamentaschen is hamentaschen. Singular and plural. maybe that's wrong, but that's what we call it. :)

[half-double.livejournal.com]

I love that your "Jewish-issue poll" is really a linguistics poll that just happens to be Jewesque.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I'm sneaky that way. :-)

And I love "Jewesque."

[seborn.livejournal.com]

One dreidl, two dreidlech.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I thought "dreidlech" were those long, thin braids... :-)

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

No, those are extinct pools in Scotland. Unless it was previously a moor or bog. Then you get Kraplach. :)

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

*ding*

Rhymes with "maidelach".
Also (btw): rugel, rugelach.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

i thought "hamentaschen" was the singular.... one hamentaschen, two hamentaschen. and i'll take a glass of milk with those, please.

aaaaand now i'm hungry. gee, thanks.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Maybe there's one in your pocket? :-)

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Sometimes hamentasche, more often "mon tasche" for singular.

And "Don't bother me with Purim yet" does not parse. :-) Remember, I'm the guy who starts planning for Purim 13 or 14 months in advance (since by the time tu b'shvat comes along, it's too late to start planning stuff for this year's Purim!

[angwantibo.livejournal.com]

You're weird.

[zsero.livejournal.com]

One dreidl, two dreidlach. איין דריידל, צוויי דריידלאך
One homentash, two homentashen. איין המן-טאש, צוויי המן-טאשן
No E on the end of homentash; or of tash (טאש), for that matter.

I seem to recall that my grandmother AH used to say one homente, two homentes. I'm not sure whether that's a legitimate regional variant, or just a personal idiosyncrasy. Or I may just be misremembering.

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Silly gnomi. Everyone knows the singular of Hamentaschen is Hammurabi.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Sivivonim!

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Also, given that the plural of kneidl is kneidlach, I'd assume that the plural of dreidl is dreidlach.

[angwantibo.livejournal.com]

or dreadlocks!

[42itous.livejournal.com]

In the unlikely event that you give a damn, I spell it "dreidel."

A single hamantasch is in an unstable state. And the number of hamantaschen I eat depends on how many flavors there are. If someone has gone and baked apricot, cherry, and poppy, then I eat one of each.