That’s what you say in German if you wish somebody to get into the new year well. “Rutsch” means “slide” in German, so there are people who add “aber rutsch nicht aus!” (= “but don’t slip.”) to their well-wishes. The origin of that phrase actually is a Jewlicious one; it’s the corruption of a phrase adopted from Jews wishing each other a “Guten Rosh”.

Many words of Hebrew origin have entered German through Jews residing here. Even more of those words survived in dialects (of which Germany has got plenty). Sometimes the original medieval Hebrew word got lost or changed, occasionally the words and phrases were corrupted to onomatopoetically fit a similar German word, so they don’t always make sense at first glance. Often the vocabulary merged with vagrant vocabulary (sorry, it’s a Wiki link, but the only one I could find in English that didn’t refer to thieves’ cant in the English language), and those words that eventually stuck, apart from terms that refer to traditions and rites, denote that poverty and petty crimes were part of the everyday Jewish experience in medieval Ashkenaz.

The Goethe Institute provides a brief, comprehensive outline of the matter online [, which saves me from typing 🙂 ]:

Maloche, Schlamassel, meschugge – with many of these words, we are conscious of their connection to Jewish culture and its languages Yiddish and Hebrew: for instance, “Mischpoche” (riffraff; clan), “Chuzpe” (chutzpah, brazenness), or when something doesn’t seem to us to be “koscher” (kosher). With others, we hardly notice this: for example, the “Malocher” (drudge) of the Ruhr Valley, or the “Macke” (kink, loose screw) that someone has, the “miese” (wretched, miserable) weather, the government’s “Schmusekurs” (schmoozing up) or the neighbour who is well “betucht” (well-off).

The linguist Hans Peter Althaus has compiled 1,100 words of Yiddish origin in his Lexikon deutscher Wörter jiddischer Herkunft (i.e., Encyclopaedia of German Words of Yiddish Provenance), including old acquaintances like the “Großkotz” (braggart) and the “Schmiere stehen” (to keep a look out), but also some which strike one as exotic in German like “Machascheife” (witch) or “Besomenbüchse” (“smelling salts”, “perfume flacon”) and which occur only in a few German dialects, technical jargon or argot. [Read the full article here].

Guten Rutsch everybody!

About the author

froylein

33 Comments

  • I was impressed to see a pub called Tacheles in Freiburg, that Yiddish/Hebrew word is even used in the German press, along with gonef and some others.
    In fact, as tonight is New Year, I think its time to reach for some of that Schwarzwaelder Kirschwasser.
    Prosit Neujahr!

  • What’s up, after reading this awesome paragraph i am as well cheerful to
    share my familiarity here with friends.

  • Hello 🙂 I just want to tell you that I am all new to blogging and certainly savored your web page. Very likely I’m want to bookmark your blog post . You definitely come with terrific articles and reviews. Thanks a bunch for sharing your web site.

  • Im obtaining a browser error, is anyone else? When are you going to post again? You actually inform many people! Cheers for this article, it was great to see. Thank you for the efforts you have made on paper this post. Im hoping the same best work of your stuff later on as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to start my very own BlogEngine blog now. Truly the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your article is a fine illustration of it.

  • Hi there outstanding blog! Does running a blog such as this require a
    massive amount work? I have absolutely no knowledge of coding but I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyway, if you have any ideas or tips for new blog owners please share.
    I understand this is off topic however I simply wanted to ask.

    Cheers!

  • It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy.

    I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you few interesting
    things or suggestions. Perhaps you could write next articles
    referring to this article. I wish to read even more things about it!

  • Hi, I think your website might be having browser compatibility
    issues. When I look at your blog in Chrome,
    it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has
    some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
    Other then that, fantastic blog!

  • My brother recommended I might like this blog. He used to be entirely right.
    This post truly made my day. You can not believe just how a
    lot time I had spent for this info! Thank you!

  • Hi there, just became alert to your blog through
    Google, and found that it’s truly informative. I’m
    gonna watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future.
    Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  • Hello there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that
    would be okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look
    forward to new updates.

  • I am actually glad to glance at this webpage posts which consists of lots of useful data, thanks for providing these kinds
    of information.

  • Hello there I am so grateful I found your website, I
    really found you by accident, while I was searching on Aol for something else, Regardless I am here now and would
    just like to say cheers for a marvelous post and a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have
    time to look over it all at the moment but I have saved it and also
    added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much
    more, Please do keep up the awesome work.

  • After I originally commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new
    comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is
    added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same
    comment. There has to be an easy method you can remove
    me from that service? Cheers!

  • Magnificent goods from you, man. I have be aware your stuff previous
    to and you are simply extremely magnificent. I actually like what
    you’ve got here, really like what you’re stating
    and the best way by which you are saying it. You are making
    it entertaining and you still take care of to stay it sensible.
    I cant wait to read much more from you. That is actually a
    great site.

  • You actually make it appear so easy together with your presentation but I
    to find this matter to be actually one thing that I feel
    I might by no means understand. It kind of feels too complex and very extensive for me.
    I’m looking ahead for your subsequent submit, I’ll attempt to
    get the hang of it!

  • Hi there, I do think your site could possibly be having web browser compatibility
    problems. Whenever I take a look at your web site in Safari, it
    looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping issues.

    I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up!
    Other than that, wonderful website!

  • When I originally commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment.
    Perhaps there is an easy method you are able to remove me
    from that service? Thanks!

  • I believe that is one of the most significant info for
    me. And i’m happy studying your article. However should statement on few common issues,
    The web site style is ideal, the articles is in reality nice :
    D. Good process, cheers