What is a mensch? How do you pronounce it? Whats its origins? What does it mean?

Question

What is a mensch? How do you pronounce it? Whats its origins? What does it mean? Thanks!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Mensch, pronounced MENSH. It is yiddish, and iterally means "man," or human being, but its real meaning has been one of the all-time challenges to those translating from Yiddish to English. When you say someone is a real mensch, it is perhaps the highest compliment that can be paid. It means he is generous (like a real man), reliable (like a real man), modest (like a real man), and loyal. A mensch is what you would want your best friend to be. If he were, he would be a real mensch. You couldn't ask for more.

Perhaps it is more clear if I tell you that the opposite (or at least one opposite) of a mensch is a schmuck. Schmucks don't deserve definition, but suffice it to say this much: the meaning of schmuck is dick, or penis.

EDIT: "Mensch" also means mensch in the UK, believe me, perhaps more than it does in the US. It is even listed in the OED as an English colloquialism: " In Jewish usage: a person of integrity or rectitude; a person who is morally just, honest, or honourable."

Source(s):

Oxford English Dictionary

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

AWESOME! Here in Alabama we don't get to learn a lot about other cultures and heritages vocabulary enough. THANKS!

Answer 2

I live in UK - and a "mensh" simply means giving something a mention... so it's pronounced like the beginning of the word "mention"... i.e. mensh!

Source(s):

Spelling is irrelelevant in this instance.

Answer 3

Mensch - a decent responsible person with admirable characteristics. From Yiddish, human being, mensch, from Middle High German, human being, from Old High German mennisco.