On Sep 20, 7:33 am, Amy Guskin  wrote:   
   > >> On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:53:09 -0400, Elko T wrote   
   > >    I'm not cognizant of Jewish tongues, but shouldn't this be "a Hasid"?   
   > > Wasn't "-im" a plural designator? <<   
   >   
   > No idea.  I just know how I've heard them referred to my entire life by my   
   > Jewish family and friends.     
   I'm pretty sure Elko is right.  My recollection of ordinary New York   
   usage (not to mention endless reruns of "Law & Order: Various Flavors"   
   and "NYPD Blue") is that Hassid (or "Chassid") is singlular, Hassidim   
   plural.  The obvious parallel is goy (singular) and goyim (plural.)   
   (And that one I'm *sure* about.  )   
   Which reminds me of a "Star Trek" anecdote, recounted by David Gerrold   
   in his "Trouble with Tribbles" book:   
   One of his drafts had one character refer to another as a "shylock",   
   modern slang for a loan shark, as well as the proper name of   
   Shakespearean character.  Producer Gene Coon objected, shaking his   
   head and saying, "David, you're a goy."  ("I'm not", wrote Gerrold in   
   his book.  "I offered to show him my circumcision to prove it.")  I   
   don't know if Coon accepted Gerrold's offer of proof, but I do know   
   the word did not appear in the episode as aired.   
   Later,   
   Joe   
   --- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32   
    * Origin: Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 (1:14/400)