mav, I'm going to respond to two(2) of your posts in one -- wouldn't want to be accused of double-posting. 8-)

shmendrik, I believe, is an inept or indifferent person
shlimazel is someone with perpetual bad luck (see Joe Btfsplk[sp?])

don't know if this agrees with your link, 'cuz that didn't work for me.

...and just how do you define "more accurately" when it comes to representing Yiddish spelling??
8-)