The Yiddish language has gifted English speakers with some irresistibly punchy words that defy direct translation, but are instantly understandable: schmuck, schmooze, schtick, tchatchke, bupkes, klutz, the list goes on. Chutzpah is often defined as nerve, gall, insolence, arrogance and supreme self-confidence. Fernando Trabanco Fotografía/Getty Images
The Yiddish language has gifted English speakers with some irresistibly punchy words that defy direct translation, but are instantly understandable: schmuck, schmooze, schtick, tchatchke, bupkes, klutz, the list goes on.
Chutzpah is a word that should be in everyone s Yiddish arsenal. If you re not familiar with chutzpah, it s often defined in the dictionary as nerve, gall, insolence, arrogance and supreme self-confidence. But as with all Yiddish words, there s a subtle flavor to chutzpah that eludes easy translation into English.