The Encino School Board has declared Jewish English a second
language. Backers of the move say the district is the first
in the nation to recognize Hebonics as the language of many
American Jews.

Here are some descriptions of the characteristics of the
language, and samples of phrases in standard English and
Hebonics.

Samples of Pronunciation Characteristics

+ Jewish English or "Hebonics" hardens consonants at the ends
  of words.
        Thus, "hand"  becomes "handt."

+ The letter "W" is always pronounced as if it were a "V".
        Thus "walking" becomes "valking."

+ "R" sounds are transformed to a guttural utterance that is
  virtually impossible to spell in English.
         It is "ghraining" "alghready."

Samples of Idiomatic Characteristics

+ Questions are always answered with questions:
    Question: "How do you feel?"
    Hebonics response: "How should I feel?"

+ The subject is often placed at the end of a sentence after
  a pronoun has been used at the beginning:
    "She dances beautifully, that girl."

 + The sarcastic repetition of words by adding "sh" to the
   front is used for emphasis:
     mountains becomes "shmountains
     turtle becomes "shmurtle."

Sample Usage Comparisons:

Standard English Phrase           Hebonics Phrase

"He walks slow"                   "Like a fly in the
                                   ointment he walks"

"Sorry, I do not know the time"   "What do I look like, a
                                   clock?"

"I hope things turn out okay"     "You should BE so lucky"

"You're sexy"                     (unknown concept)

"Anything can happen"             "It is never so bad, it
                                   can't get worse"