shemozzle

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

shemozzle (sheh-MAWZ-l) - n., a noisy confusion or dispute, muddle, uproar.


Unlike most terms borrowed from Yiddish, this is not used much in American English -- it's mostly British and Australian usage. This is possibly because it was borrowed in the 19th century, earlier than the bulk of Yiddish's influence on American speech. (I'm not finding a year, though -- does anyone have access to a dictionary that has it?) Note that the meaning has drifted: Yiddish שלימזל (shlimazl) means misfortune, coming from Hebrew שלא מזל (shellōmazzāl), which parses out as "from bad luck". So, yes, same luck root as mazel tov.

I had to struggle through the shemozzle in the lobby to get out of the hotel, with the cops only a few seconds behind me.

---L.

Comments

[kryptyd.livejournal.com]

One of my favourite words! It's not generally used in Ireland at all EXCEPT exclusively for fights on the pitch at Gaelic football and hurling matches! I nearly plotzed the first time I heard a commentator say it.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

That is an ... interesting restriction in use.

---L.

[white-guilt.livejournal.com]

that word sounds funny. ^^

[yesdog.livejournal.com]

That word sounds like it is from the Lavern and Shirley theme song!

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

Close, but not quite! The actual words are here:

http://ask.yahoo.com/20020207.html

[matsyendra.livejournal.com]

It's essentially the same word.

[aa-shi.livejournal.com]

Hmmm well as a Brit who's known a fair few Australians.... I have to say I've never, ever heard this word!

However - it should be used, it's fabulous!

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

As an Australian who knows a lot of Australians, it's in frequent use.

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

So quite possibly it is use more in Oz than UK?

---L.

[james0289.livejournal.com]

I am British, and something of a word aficionado, and I have never - ever - heard that word before. :|

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Well, that is kind of the point of my little community here.

[james0289.livejournal.com]

Indeed it is, but assumptions about words being used more in other people's Englishes, when speakers of those Englishes have never heard that word before, can sound a bit... strange.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

This makes little sense.

[james0289.livejournal.com]

Not really -- apparently it's a common feature of British English to say "different to" rather than "different from", and to write "-ise" instead of "-ize" (at least in a general US perception of British English), even though, if anything, I read "different from" just as often as "to", and the OED uses "-ize" as the main spelling and lists "-ise" as a variation.
Sometimes, people's perceptions of others' Englishes don't always fit with those of the speakers themselves, and, as far as I see it, there's nothing nonsensical in finding those (former) perceptions strange.

[rosyaristocracy.livejournal.com]

This word is glorious. I've never heard it used before, but I believe I will have to look for an excuse to do so now. 8D

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

But not as glorious as your icon ...

---L.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

The earliest recorded usage according to the OED is:

1899 A. M. Binstead Houndsditch Day by Day 23
It was through no recklessness or extravagance that he was in this shlemozzle.

It does appear to come from the Yiddish Schlimazel. Yiddish, slim crooked + Hebrew, mazzāl luck.

A consistently unlucky, accident-prone person, a ‘born loser’. Hence as v. trans., to make a schlimazel of (a person).

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

So just in the 19th century. Interesting. And still about a generation before Yiddish started to seriously bleed over into American English.

---L.

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Seems so! But we all know that the word could easily have been in use for generations before it became known to the non-Jewish public.

[universically.livejournal.com]

As another Australian, I also concur on regular 'shemozzle' usage around the country.

I commonly use it at work :D

[nerdfury.livejournal.com]

Excellent, more Australians for our army!