Shiksa

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Shiksa (Yiddish: שיקסע, Polish: Sziksa) or shikse, is a Yiddish and Polish word that has moved into English usage, mostly in North American Jewish culture, where it may be used as a pejorative term for a non-Jewish woman, but is now often used satirically. Among orthodox Jews, the term may be used to describe young Jewish women who fail to follow orthodox religious precepts.

[edit] Derivation

The word shiksa is etymologically partly derived from the Hebrew term sheketz, which means "abomination", "impure," or "object of loathing", depending on the translator.[1]

Despite its etymology, the term shiksa is widely used and accepted in the United States, where it is often used in a humorous way.

The word (written "siksa", pronounced "shiksa") in Polish Gentile culture is a popular pejorative (but often teasing or affectionate) word for an immature young girl or teenager. It means "pisspants" and is roughly equivalent to the English terms "snot-nosed brat", "young squirt", "young breasts" or "young goat" ("kid"). [2] It is a conflation between the Hebrew term and usage of the Polish word "sikać" ("to urinate").

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Question 19.6: What does "shiksa" and "shaygetz" mean? How offensive are they?
  2. ^ [1] Słownik języka polskiego - str.112 (przeglądanie dokumentu wymaga instalacji przeglądarki DjVu)