In this Book
- Becoming Frum: How Newcomers Learn the Language and Culture of Orthodox Judaism
- Book
- 2012
- Published by: Rutgers University Press
- Series: Jewish Cultures of the World
summary
When non-Orthodox Jews become frum (religious), they encounter much more than dietary laws and Sabbath prohibitions. They find themselves in the midst of a whole new culture, involving matchmakers, homemade gefilte fish, and Yiddish-influenced grammar. Becoming Frum explains how these newcomers learn Orthodox language and culture through their interactions with community veterans and other newcomers. Some take on as much as they can as quickly as they can, going beyond the norms of those raised in the community. Others maintain aspects of their pre-Orthodox selves, yielding unique combinations, like Matisyahu’s reggae music or Hebrew words and sing-song intonation used with American slang, as in “mamish (really) keepin’ it real.”Sarah Bunin Benor brings insight into the phenomenon of adopting a new identity based on ethnographic and sociolinguistic research among men and women in an American Orthodox community. Her analysis is applicable to other situations of adult language socialization, such as students learning medical jargon or Canadians moving to Australia. Becoming Frum offers a scholarly and accessible look at the linguistic and cultural process of “becoming.”
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- List of Figures
- p. ix
- List of Tables
- p. xi
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xv-xvi
- Transcription Conventions
- p. xvii
- Bibliography
- pp. 221-235
Additional Information
ISBN
9780813553917
Related ISBN(s)
9780813553894
MARC Record
OCLC
818317946
Pages
288
Launched on MUSE
2012-10-01
Language
English
Open Access
No