Dave Aronson writes:
> On Tue March 2 2004 18:18, Michael Thomas wrote:
>
> > Or is this just a covert way of saying that we need an e-Yentl?
>
> Nitpick: yenta (meddler/gossiper/busybody, but especially matchmaker),
> not Yentl (name chosen by girl disguised as boy to get accepted to a
> yeshiva, in Isaac Bashevis Singer story).
I don't want to appear to be picking even futher on this now OT thread, but
gossiper in Yidish was also 'yente' at least in common speach, 'yenta'
became a more commonly used to mean matchmaker. But personal name "Yente"
from Fidler on the Roof that Michael mentioned as well as name "Yentl"
(male form) from Singer's book (probably more well known for Hollywood
film based on that book) actually come from "Gente" and "Gentille" of
French origin (in reality latin origin) meaning noble or kind. "Yenta"
was also another name used by european jews and that actually comes from
French name Juanitta (which comes from hebrew name Yochanan which means
god's grace; Russian well known version of this name is Ivan)
I guess now is the time to pick right origin and meaning for e-yent? :)
Right you are, but I was actually misremembering
the actual character's name in Fiddler on the Roof
which now that I check imdb was spelled Yente.