Loveable Jews

Language is a beautiful thing.

I heard some snippet of an NPR piece where the speaker commented that the language and culture of people is so inextricably intertwined that one cannot begin to understand a situation [ie a local political situation where international interests are trying to throw their weight around, I thought] without learning the language. He did not say as much, but the person speaking almost seemed to be implying that this is, if not only, at least MORE true for tribal people, ie lesser people, whereas OUR language is more objective. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

American English, objective, I tell you, where does he get his jokes.

I have an Irish friend who, I thought for a while, was quite sympathetic towards Jews. In and of itself, this is not surprising as I am friendly with people of all sorts of religious backgrounds, practices, leanings, and beliefs. But most non-Jewish people I know are not so enthusiastic about their appreciation of Jewishness that they go around saying it all the time in everyday conversation.

As it turns out, of course, the differences in our pronounciation were the cause of some moments of hilarity when we discovered my miscomprehension.

Why, I wondered aloud to him, when you agree with me on some point, do you associate that with Jews? He was baffled, of course, not aware that he had been making such association. I said, well you always say "Fair Jews." What does that mean?

Yes. Fair Jews, those loveable Jews.

Of course what he was actually saying was "Fair DUES."

Now I have only ever heard DUES prounounced [duz]. For DUE, The OED (Oxford English Dictionary-LOVE IT!!!) has only [dju], which, a la Irish, sounds more like JEW than anything else. I am sure he also says Jewette (duet), but does he say Jewed (Dude)? Or Jewed Ranch (what kind of salad dressing is that?) ? Oh the possibilities for silliness are endless.

I did check the American Heritage Dictionary, which refuses to use IPA!?@, and they have [dyue] as a secondary pronunciation. I have not yet noticed anyone saying it, so I will have to add it to my list of words to ask people to say. [Some other words on the list are egg and leg(Chicagoans say ache and lake - hahahah!) and war (which I rhyme with lore but some St. Louisans rhyme with bar!)].

Oh, and love this quotation from the OED examples: 1879 HOWELLS L. Aroostook x, ‘Well’, observed the captain..with the air of giving the devil his due, ‘I've seen some very good people among the Catholics’.

Glad to hear it, Captain! And Jews are great, too, and fair!