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Meaning of the Yiddish word "chayam"

Forums: Yiddish, Other Languages, Yiddish Translation
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ark014
 
Reply Thu 17 Jan, 2013 04:10 pm
Can someone tell me the meaning of the Yiddish word "chayam"?

Is "chayam" a Yiddish adjective that means "huge"?

If not, what are the correct Yiddish words that are equivalent to the English words large or huge?

I once read a biography of the 1930's actor Muni Wiesenfreund ("Paul Muni") , in which the actor tells an off color joke that included the phrase "chayam putz". Does "chayam putz" mean "huge something-or-other"?
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Ragman
 
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Reply Thu 17 Jan, 2013 04:15 pm
@ark014,
Chayim means life in both Hebrew and Yiddish.

Godol means large in both Hebrew and Yiddish.

However, with that being said, many people have the Hebrew name for Charles as Chayim. So, in a sense, Chayim = Charles.

So a sarcastic reference to call someone Chayim Putz (putz is Yiddish for penis..or less literally...dick-head or dummy).
Lustig Andrei
 
  2  
Reply Thu 17 Jan, 2013 05:54 pm
@Ragman,
To life, to life, l'chayim!!
(Fiddler on the Roof)
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