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Mr. Tom Posted 17 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation

Pronunciation of SCHLIMAZEL

Hi

Could you please tell me the pronunciation of SCHLIMAZEL? Do native speakers use this word enough?

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

It doesn't matter whether native speakers frequently use a certain word; what matters, however, is: how they pronounce it when they see a new word. Their native phonolgy- which they find hard to describe when you ask them -puts some constraints on what are the plausible pronunciations of any new word. In this case, the stress falls on the second syllable; you may end up with the following two variants.

— Raindoctor

  • It doesn't matter whether native speakers frequently use a certain word; what matters, however, is: how they pronounce it when they see a new word.
  • Their native phonolgy- which they find hard to describe when you ask them -puts some constraints on what are the plausible pronunciations of any new word.
  • In this case, the stress falls on the second syllable; you may end up with the following two variants.
  • l?
  • 'm?
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7 Answers
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It doesn't matter whether native speakers frequently use a certain word; what matters, however, is: how they pronounce it when they see a new word. Their native phonolgy-which they find hard to describe when you ask them-puts some constraints on what are the plausible pronunciations of any new word.

In this case, the stress falls on the second syllable; you may end up with the
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Mr. TomDo native speakers use this word enough?
I don't think that's the question you really wanted to ask. I think you wanted to know if native speakers use the word often. The answer is "No".

CJ
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Of course, it's hard to avoid it if you get a sudden urge to sing the opening theme to the old sit-com Laverne and Shirley. Has it ever been used anywhere else?

shluh-MAH-zel.
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I am grateful to you all.

Hulk Hogan used this tricky word in his autobiography.

Tom
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I don't remember ever having heard the word SCHLIMAZEL (though I may have and just simply forgotten it), but it reminds me of another word -- one which I've heard: schlemiel

(Not sure of the spelling...)
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Your spellings are correct.

You don't want to confuse those two, however. The schlemiel is the inept jerk who creates the situation. The schlimazel is the victim who suffers from it. My dictionary explains it thus:

A schlemiel is a waiter who spills hot soup, and the schlimazel is the one who gets it in his lap.

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Thank *** you clarified that point, Jim. I can just see me putting my foot in my mouth by mixing those two up, thus making a real schlemiel of myself.
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