Re: Hasenpfeffer incorporated
Posted by ESC on June 22, 2003 In Reply to: Re: Shlemiel shlimazl posted
by ESC on June 22, 2003
: : Laverne and Shirley used to open their comedy series with,
"Shlemeil, Shemozzl ..." What does it mean?
: I can help with the first two words of that bit:
: From "The Joys of Yiddish" by Leo Rosten (Pocket Books, New York,
1996):
: shlemiel, schlemiel, shlemiehl, shlemihl - carries a distinctive
note of pity. In fact, a shlemiel is often the nebech's (sad sack,
loser, nothing) twin brother. The classic definition goes: A shlemiel
is always knocking things off a table; the nebech always picks them
up.
: shlimazl, shlimazel - chronically unlucky person; someone for
whom nothing seems to go right or turn out well.
: I imagine the rest is a children's song. Are they playing hopscotch
when they sing it? I don't remember.
From another site:
"How about that old Laverne and Shirley theme song? You know..."Shlemiel,
shlimazl, hasenpfeffer incorporated..." A Shlemiel is someone who
is clumsey or a chronic screwup. A Shlimazl is someone who is chronically
unlucky. So a Shlemiel spills the beer on the Shlimazl. (Incidently,
hasepfeffer is peppered rabbit stew. Go figure.)" http://bakingmynoodle.blogspot.com/2002_12_08_archiveindex.html
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