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Ethno-religious division of neighbourhoods in Salonica, 1845. From M. Erdem Kabadayı, Working for the State in the Urban Economies of Ankara, Bursa, and Salonica: From Empire to Nation State, 1840s–1940s.

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A THOUSAND WAYS OF EXPRESSING OURSELVES (‘MIL MANERAS DE EKSPRESARMOS’)

We Jews of Salonika speak Judeo-Spanish in a thousand different ways and forms. Each class [or social sector] of the people has its own phrases; each type of person has his own way of speaking, each journalist has his [pet] expressions; and each and every person uses his [characteristic] words; and nonetheless all understand one another very easily.

For example, when we want to free ourselves from certain annoying individuals we tell them quite clearly “Arrematasyón!” [‘Get lost!’]. Those of the Jewish religious study halls use “Rúah!” [‘Spirit!’]. The women say: “Eskova detrás de la puerta” [‘(Be like a) broom behind the door!’] Nervous people say: “Vazyando!” [‘Pour yourself out!’]; the merchants use the expression: “Espalda ke te vea!” [‘May I see your back! Go away!’].

When it's inconvenient to speak openly in certain places our crowd command: “Shetiká” [‘Silence’! (H. šetiqa)]; [the traditional, middle-aged housewife] Bula Klara is used to saying: “Muḏera!” [‘Silence’!]; those of the popular sector use the word “Amuḏisyón” [‘Shut it’!]; those [young men] of the [Western European-style] social clubs tell each other: “Sirma” [‘Filigree’ (T. sırma)]; [the old-fashioned, religion- focused] Rabbi Avram The Great says: “Yoḏéah lashón” [‘He understands our language’ (H. yodea‘ lašon)], or “Otro lakirdí” [‘Change the subject’ (T. lakırdı)].

When some long-winded bore [T. zevzek fandaklı)] keeps breaking our brains, the old people say that “Tyene las viḏas bozeaḏas” [He has a broken life' (T. boz-)]; the young men shout to him “Amán, yit” [T. Aman, git!)]; los frankitos lo yaman “Rompeḏor” [‘Breaker’]; the women ask for “koronas de limón” [‘lemon peels’, against migraine] or they call them "lafazán chimino" [‘talkative’ (T. lafazan)].

No one can countenance braggarts. Thus, brainy people say they are: “Guezmo de pyezes” [‘Foot odor’]. The popular masses call them: “Me fyeḏo en pyes” [‘My feet stink’]. For our crowd [of progressive, westernized intelligentsia] they are a: “Fandazmeno” [‘Specter’ (G. fandazméno)]; the young maids, who like to laugh at everything, call them: “Chindjilipunchino”; and the women call them: “Tellí pullí” [‘tastelessly adorned’ (T. telli pullu)].

When seeing some swaggerer [T. çalımcı] pass by, of the type “Yaparum ederim” [‘I will! I will!’ (T. yaparım ederim)], thrusting his arms, our crowd call them: “Kabadaí” [‘Hooligan’ (T. kabadayı)]; the popular sector says they are a “pelit de kanya” [‘tough nut’ (T. pelit, S. caña ‘cane’), tough, valonia acorn]; the young men liken them to a “kahalón” [cf. J. kaġalón 'coward', S. cagallón ‘large turd’]; and the women consider them “mangaḏas” [‘blusterers’, ‘paper tigers’] (G. mágga + S. -ada)].

If we have before us a disagreeable person, who is unpleasant and wants to drink to our back, we all jump in and say: “Adyó de hallahutes” [‘Good riddance to scoundrels’ (H. ḥeleḵa)]; the everyday people call them “danyaḏores” [‘evil spirits’]; the woman consider them to be “aver pezġaḏo” [‘heavy air’ (H. awir)]; and El Kirbach considers them “turistas” [‘tourists’ (in a negative sense)]. And there are thousands and thousands of similar expressions that every Salonikan Jew uses, each in his own way; and yet all understand one another without need for much explanation and without changing each one's way of speaking.

— First published in El Kirbach (1912), translated by David M. Bunis.

Abbreviations:

G. — Greek

H. — Hebrew

J. — Judezmo

S. — Spanish

T. — Turkish

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