What does this expression mean: 'oil gevalt"?

[Torsten]

Hi, in his current issue of the Daily Show Jon Stewart is using the term 'oil gevalt'. I wonder if 'gevalt' originates from the German word 'Gewalt'. Any thoughts?

TOEIC listening, talks: Company executive is giving earnings report

[Yankee]

Hi Torsten

"Oil gevalt". That's something I hadn't heard before. It looks like I need to watch The Daily Show and catch up on this "new phrase". I enjoy Jon Stewart very much, but I haven't seen The Daily Show in about a week now.

Anyway, my guess would be that Jon is playing with a Yiddish expression in this case --- a Yiddish expression that has come into English (American English, anyway). That expression is "Oy gevalt". In the suburban New York City area you can hear quite a few expressions of Yiddish and/or Hebrew origin.

And the Yiddish "gevald" is surely related to the German word "Gewalt". So, yes, there does seem to be a connection.

Amy
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