Born to kvetch : Yiddish language and culture in all its moods / Michael Wex.

Includes bibliographical references.

Frank, tough-minded, and profoundly honest, Wex--who grew up an Orthodox, Yiddish-speaking Jew-examines the Yiddish language from an insider's point of view. He describes the development of Yiddish throughout its history, explains the nature of the separation of Jews from gentiles as reflected in the ritual laws of kosher, and illustrates the harsh reality of European Jewish life, which is mirrored in the Yiddish language itself. Paradox, poverty, irony, and superstition (the secret heart of Yiddish) are described by example and through comparison to present-day popular culture. Other topics include the development of Yiddish words, expressions, and idioms; the nature of Jewish exile; kvetching (or complaining); and the life and religion of the Jewish people from birth to death, as evident in the Yiddish tongue. All the wonderful elements of Yiddish language and culture are humorously presented here.