Shiksa

Shiksa is a Yiddish word that Mork uses frequently, but which stands apart from the others he uses due to its multiple application across all the Seasons of the show as a constant and multi-varied descriptive of Mindy.

Meaning[]

Shiksa refers to a non-Jewish woman who is either romantically interested in a Jewish man or who is a Jewish man's object of affection. The Shiksa represents an exotic "other" to the Jewish man, someone who is theoretically forbidden and, thus, incredibly desirable, and would thus fit Mork's Orkan background and view of Mindy as well.

Usage[]

Mork uses it repeatedly starting from 'Mork's Best Friend', when he introduces her in his Yiddish themed funeral for his caterpillar Bob, as an 'upstanding Shiksa'.

Mork very occasionally uses it disparagingly, once about her nose 'Shiksa City!' in the fight he engineers in the hope of getting to the 'kiss and make up' stage of a fight in Stark Raving Mork, and as a punctuation at the end of his Orkan rant in their fight in Present Tense. However the majority of the time he uses it affectionately/worshipfully about her 'adorable and Shiksa like' , 'Shiksa Queen' , 'Shiksa Goddess' and as a celebration when he gets to stay with her 'Shiksalation!!'

Mork also appears to be the only one who gets to use the moniker for her, giving Bickley a blank stare in 'Mindy, Mindy, Mindy', when Bickley suggests that Mork got all his photographs at 'Shiksa-mat'

Mork's Multiple References[]

Mork applies the term to Mindy in 11 episodes from the end of Season 1 through Season 4.