[PW] Veklempt?

[Newton Steve (DOS)]

Thanks to the many who have offered answers and suggestions.  I have
forwarded them to my wife but have gotten no response yet.

Steve Newton
Delaware Division of Libraries

-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-open-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-open-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf
Of Katherine Noftz Nagel
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 2:23 PM
To: list at project-wombat.org
Subject: Re: [PW] Veklempt?

Jules Siegel wrote:
> On Fri, January 25, 2008 8:00 am, Newton Steve (DOS) wrote:
>> What does the word 'Veklempt' mean?
> 
> If it's phonetic for the German 'verklemmt' or Yiddish 'farklempt', it
> signifies stuck, inhibited, seized up, and other similar meanings
> depending on the context. How is it being used?


Not an authoritative citation, just anecdotal evidence:

In editing letters and memoirs in English for several elderly Jewish 
immigrants, I've seen them use the word in two ways:

1.  stuck, broken, jammed

"Second shift ran the machinery without oil, and the gears are 
verklempt.  We had to shut down the line and call Maintenance."

"Sammy flushed his picture book and the toilet is verklempt again."


2.  too angry/frustrated/upset to speak

"She left the water running in the bathtub and then forgot it.  Now 
the floor needs to be replaced, and her husband is verklempt."

"Mr. Friedrich is verklempt.  The whole print run of his book was 
ruined.  They were bound with the title page upside-down."

K@
Kat Nagel

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