Try it anyway. This thread has been dead so long its starting to smell

One thing Ive noticed is that in Midnight Mass the priest talks just like Abe. By the way, what does "Gevalt " mean?

One thing Ive noticed is that in Midnight Mass the priest talks just like Abe. By the way, what does "Gevalt " mean?

Gevalt means "immense, mighty, terrific"....

How do you know? I think you are full of it.

Hey.... never under estimate my knowledge!!! I'm right....look it up if you don't believe me

One thing Ive noticed is that in Midnight Mass the priest talks just like Abe. By the way, what does "Gevalt " mean?

As best I can remember, the priest sounds like Abe when he's speaking with his very good friend, the old Jewish guy whose name I can't recall. They fall into a pattern of speech with which they both are familiar, and there are precious few familiar things still left in their postapocalyptic world. Joe doesn't use Yiddishisms with his niece or the nun (Carol? why can't I remember their names??).

One thing Ive noticed is that in Midnight Mass the priest talks just like Abe. By the way, what does "Gevalt " mean?

I don't know that it has much more meaning than "sheesh" or "geez." It's Yiddish, kind of an all purpose way of expressing exasperation. Most people use it with "oy," as in "Oy, gevalt, my back is killing me," or "Oy gevalt, this train is slow."

I don't know that it has much more meaning than "sheesh" or "geez." It's Yiddish, kind of an all purpose way of expressing exasperation. Most people use it with "oy," as in "Oy, gevalt, my back is killing me," or "Oy gevalt, this train is slow."

It's an expression of fear or help....kinda like "oh my!" depending of course on the context. Living in NYC for a few years exposes you some "colorful" expressions.

It's an expression of fear or help....kinda like "oh my!" depending of course on the context. Living in NYC for a few years exposes you some "colorful" expressions.

I'm a native New Yorker, born and raised in the Bronx. I've lived my whole life in New York City (one borrough or another) and married into a Jewish family. I don't think I'd say "Oy gevalt" is a cry for help. I've always heard it used to express exasperation, as I stated earlier. I don't know that I'd use "Oh my!" as a cry for help either, come to think of it. In desperate situations my language tends to be a tad more...colorful, shall we say?

Try it anyway. This thread has been dead so long its starting to smell

That's an odd comment. Most threads have a life of their own...a beginning, middle and an end. They come to the latter quite naturally.