( yi, מענטש, ''mentsh'', from
Middle High German , from
Old High German ''mennisco''; akin to
Old English
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
''human being'', ''man'') means "a person of integrity and honor".
According to
Leo Rosten, a is "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being 'a real mensch' is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous." The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual's qualities.
Overview
In
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...
, ''mentsh'' roughly means "a good person".
[Israel's Mensch on the Bench mascot at World Baseball Classic]
" ''Newsday
''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...
''. The word has migrated as a
loanword into
American English
American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lan ...
, where a ''mensch'' is a particularly good person, similar to a "stand-up guy", a person with the qualities one would hope for in a friend or trusted colleague. ''Mentshlekhkeyt'' ( yi, מענטשלעכקייט, link=no; ) refers to the properties which make a person a ''mensch''.
During the
Age of Enlightenment, in Germany the term , in the
philosophical sense of
compassion
Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as being sensitive to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based on n ...
, was used in
Humanism to describe what characterizes a better human being. The concept goes back to
Cicero's ''
humanitas
''Humanitas'' is a Latin noun meaning human nature, civilization, and kindness. It has uses in the Enlightenment, which are discussed below.
Classical origins of term
The Latin word ''humanitas'' corresponded to the Greek concepts of '' philanthr ...
'', which was literally translated as in German, from which the Yiddish word ''mentsh'' derives..
The word and the underlying concept have had an impact on popular culture. For example, the "
Mensch on a Bench" is a
Hanukkah-themed book and doll set. A life-size version of the doll has been adopted by
Team Israel at the World Baseball Classic as their mascot. According to pitcher
Gabe Cramer, "The Mensch is a great way to have fun in the dugout while reminding us of why we're here and who we're representing."
See also
*
*
*
Moral idealist
*
*
References
{{Reflist
Yiddish words and phrases
German words and phrases