Two Short Pieces on Language(s)

(Excuse the)Bad Language
I remember hearing "we were just __cking around" my year of university. I used it once at home, having NO idea of the meaning until my dad "hit the ceiling" in reaction, and I realized that it probably wasn't a very good term....
So imagine my consternation 2 years ago, when I started preparing Ricki for our trip to the US. I tried to teach her to say "Thank you", but as with most Israelis, she can't say "th", so it came out "__ck you". Just what she needs to say to anyone who does her a favor, yeah? Just what she needed to greet gradpa with….. And of course, as I corrected her, she tried harder, so the “F” (which is what Israelis are likely to say instead of “th”, came out even stronger and clearer.
My older kids (not-so-religious) try and be careful what they say around me. I complemented my daughter that since getting married, she manages to drive her car without cursing the other drivers out.
At least Ricki’s not TRYING to say bad words…..

Ricki’s“Yiddish”
The other day Ricki and I were working on studying for a test. I had to write an additional word on her page, which I did from the side. Since the angle I had was a bit strange, the word came out looking slightly funny.
“Mom”, piped up Ricki, “What did you do? It looks so funny! Please don’t write in Yiddish!”
(I do not know Yiddish at all. Ricki comes in contact with Yiddish through some of her nephews that speak it. When she wants to speak in “Yiddish” she’ll say some nonsense word, assuming that it will make her point understood by those speaking what sounds to her as nonsense. And she thinks that she is really speaking Yiddish……)