What is verklempt?

Here's some information about "verklempt" in markdown format, with links as requested:

Verklempt

"Verklempt" (pronounced vur-KLEMPT) is a Yiddish word that describes a state of being overcome with emotion, typically sadness, nostalgia, or sentimentality. It often implies a feeling of being choked up or speechless due to strong emotions.

• Origin: The word comes from Yiddish and is related to the German word "verklemmen," meaning "to clamp" or "to jam." This alludes to the feeling of constriction in the throat that can accompany intense emotion.

• Usage: While the word has Yiddish origins, it has entered into common parlance in some English-speaking regions, particularly in the United States. It is often used humorously, but can also describe a genuine emotional state. Being "verklempt" is more than just being sad; it's being so overwhelmed with emotion that it's difficult to speak or function normally.

• Associated Feelings: It’s often associated with feelings of extreme emotion, whether sad or happy, that bring you to a near tearful state.

• Popular Culture: It gained greater recognition and popularity through its use in the "Coffee Talk" sketches on Saturday Night Live, where Mike Myers, as Linda Richman, would often declare himself to be "verklempt" when discussing Barbra Streisand or other emotionally resonant topics.

Here are the linked important subjects:

• Yiddish
• emotion
• nostalgia
• sentimentality
• Barbra%20Streisand