Today, I painted my walls – yesterday’s manicure notwithstanding – to cover the unsightly marks made by my cat. Oy vey, what a schelp; getting the floor ready, wiping the walls clean, hauling the stepladder, assembling the rollers and brushes, opening and pouring the paint to the correct measure.  

Fit for purpose

As I went ‘oying’ and ‘veying’ along, I realised that Yiddish too has enhanced the English language with many phrases used as is or adapted over time.  

One of these words is schmooze – here Merriam-Webster sums it up:  

“Schmooze (also spelt shmooze) schlepped into English from the Yiddish “schmue”, meaning “talk,” which itself is from the Hebrew shěmu’ōth, meaning “news” or “rumour.” Although originally used to indicate simply talking in an informal and warm manner, the word now commonly suggests conversation for the purpose of gaining favour, business, or connections. 

Jerk in Yiddish

“Schmooze is one of a number of English schm- words originating from Yiddish; other classics include schmaltz (referring to rendered animal fat or excessively sentimental music or art), schmuck (a slang word for “jerk”), schmutz (“a filthy or soiling substance”), and schmear (“a layer of cream cheese”).” 

Lacking character

Yiddish is such an expressive language. Synonyms of schmooze – chat, talk, converse, chatter gab, do not have the same character and flavour.  

I digress, back to the walls. It’s part strategy, part need. The walls were looking “schmutzic”, and I wanted to restore them to the gorgeous purple they once were. Also, I had time on my hands and the will to DIY. As a freelancer, my time is my own, and usually when I do something far removed from my profession (writing and editing), the requests for my actual skills start to roll in (strategy).  

Now, I am off to schmooze a potential client.  

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schmooze

‘Répondez s’il vous plaît’: French influence on English