Thursday, June 18th, 2009 .:.
Mordechai
Arnon told me recently that his parents had considered naming him Mordechai, pronounced more–deh–{phlegm}high. Can you believe it?
Every time I hear the name Mordechai I think about the scene from Family Guy where two Jews with thick, southern accents want to attack Lois, à la rednecks wanting to lynch black people:
Mordechai: Well, look-a-here, Herschel. We got us one of them self-hating Jews. Nothing I hate worse than a Jew who doesn’t appreciate her own rich heritage.
Herschel: Come on, Mordechai. Let’s get her!
I just can’t see Arnon as a Mordechai.
When I was in the sixth grade, I asked my mom if I could change my name to Maxine. Thank Zeus she said no.
5 Comments
There’s no phlegm in the last syllable of Mordechai. It’s a voiceless velar fricative. Imagine trying to hock up a gob but having no moisture in your throat. It’s almost like trying to blow out a candle with a puff from the back of your throat.
Actually it was my dad’s parents who wanted the name Mordechai. I’m really glad my mom didn’t listen to her in-laws!!
Interestingly, my mom wanted to name me either Omri or Arnon. Omri, of course, is my best friend Beast. We really would have needed to be Zik and Beast to distinguish between us.
Apparently my dad preferred Arnon.
Trust me, there are so many other things to distinguish you two other than a name.
Zik and Beast sounds like a cartoon duo.
It wouldn’t have been bad since you then he have been forgiven for switching to a “cooler” professional name similar to Ralph Lauren (Ralph Lifshitz) and Bob Hope (Leslie Hope). But I do think a name like that would have influenced Arnon into being a rabbi or something religious.
Leave a Comment