שיסל

Yiddish

Etymology

From Middle High German schüzzel, from Old High German scuzzila, from Proto-West Germanic *skutilu (“small bowl, dish”). Compare German Schüssel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃɪsɫ̩/

Noun

שיסל • (shisl) f, plural שיסלען (shislen), diminutive שיסעלע (shisele)

1. bowl, basin, dish

   אַ ביסל און אַ ביסל ווערט אַ פֿולע שיסל.

   a bisl un a bisl vert a fule shisl.

   Every little helps / Many a mickle makes a muckle.

   (literally, “A little and a little becomes a full bowl.”)

   אין שיסל קאָן נישט זײַן מער, ווי אין טאָפּ.

   in shisl kon nisht zayn mer, vi in top.

   there cannot be more in the bowl than in the pot.

Derived terms

• אונטערשיסעלע (untershisele, “scheming, fraud, deceit”)
• אַ פֿולע שיסל (a fule shisl, “in abundance, ample”)
• באַקשיסל (bakshisl, “baking dish, casserole”)
• וואַששיסל (vashshisl, “basin, sink”)
• עסן פֿון איין שיסל מיט (esn fun eyn shisl mit, “to be good friends with”)
• שיסעלעך־דעקעלעך (shiselekh-dekelekh, “secrets, secrecy”)
• טואַלעט־שיסל (tualet-shisl, “toilet bowl”)
• צוויישיסלדיק (tsveyshisldik, “bivalve”)

References

• Astravux, Aljaksandar (2008) “šisl”, in Idyš-bjelaruski slóŭnik [Yiddish–Belarusian Dictionary], Minsk: Mjedisónt, →ISBN, page 744
• Justus van de Kamp et al., “שיסל” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].