History Main / AlterKocker

A senior citizen with a [[YiddishAsASecondLanguage Yiddish accent]]. In fiction, Yiddish accents are common for old characters, even if their families are of a completely different culture. Alter Kockers are most common in comedies, due to the influence of Jewish comedians. Many BorschtBelt comics had immigrant parents with thick Yiddish accents. Sometimes, a character shown in the future or undergoing RapidAging will inexplicably gain a Yiddish accent and stereotypical Alter Kocker mannerisms, following RuleOfFunny. TruthInTelevision, nearly all depictions of the Yiddish accent are spoken by older characters, particularly those who reached adulthood before 1945, due to cultural assimilation and the destruction of much of Europe's Jewish communities, leading to Yiddish no longer being commonly spoken among secular Jews in the United States. The adoption of Hebrew as the national language of UsefulNotes/{{Israel}} also served to hasten the decline of Yiddish, now seen as outmoded and an indication of a lack of education.

* ''Creator/EddieMurphy'' plays one in ''Film/ComingToAmerica''. The character, seen the image above, is a regular at the barbershop and tells a classic Jewish joke.

** ''Literature/FoundationSeries''' "Literature/SearchByTheFoundation": Preem Palver and his wife are [[SpaceAmish rustic farmers]] - and speak with an Immigrant Yiddish accent (which Dr Asimov [[WriteWhatYouKnow had grown up with]]). [[spoiler:SubvertedTrope, because Palver isn't an unintelligent hick, he is [[MeaningfulName First Speaker]] of the Second Foundation.]]

* ''Literature/TheGunsOfTheSouth'': Mr. Goldfarb, a German immigrant and an associate of Judah P. Benjamin, is recruited by Lee to translate [[spoiler: the Afrikaner language books]].

* Several older characters on ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', including the Mandelbaums, George's parents, and at times Jerry's own father, Morty. At one point they have an argument which degenerates into nothing but the word "ehh!". Jerry's Uncle Leo is probably the most stereotypical of an old, grumpy Jew. Every single resident of the retirement condo where Helen and Morty lived, The Pines Of Mar Gables/Del Boca Vista, seems to be an Alter Kocker- especially Morty's arch enemy Jack Klompus.

* Albert "Pops" Solomon, Beverley's father (Adam's grandfather) in ''Series/TheGoldbergs'' - he could well be poster boy for this trope, especially since he's played by distinguished Jewish American thespian George Segal.

* In the two-part ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "Do the Handicapped Go To Hell?"/"Probably", Pope John Paul II speaks this way - despite being the leader of the ''Catholic Church''!

* Judd Hirsch's character in ''Film/IndependenceDay'' is an old Jewish man who kvetches constantly and speaks YiddishAsASecondLanguage.

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** [[{{Cyborg}} Sy Borgman]], Ivy's RetiredMonster landlord.
** In the semi-final episode, Clayface tries to disguise himself as an elderly wolf-man who is also Jewish. Doctor Psycho immediately points out the latter, to which Clayface simply responds [[IndyPloy "I took a swing."]]

Related to InformedJudaism. Compare GrumpyOldMan. Likely to exhibit JewishComplaining and JewsLoveToArgue. See ScratchyVoicedSenior for another stereotype about old people's voices.

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[[quoteright:186:[[Film/ComingToAmerica https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AlterKocker_7489.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:186:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3jx4WIUYy4 Whadda yoo know from funny, ya bastard?]]]]

* On ''Series/NorthernExposure'' transplant Joel mentions them back in his "old country" of Queens, NY from time to time.
** In one episode, he finds the local Indians using what he knows as Yiddish words, which turns out to be due to memories of a Jewish explorer. One mentions hearing a television show using “aldakaka, that’s one of our words.” When Joel confirms it’s Jewishness, he asks “Does it mean ‘wise and venerable one’?” “Well… yes.”