In the world of interior design, there are high end items, low end items, and items ranging all along the spectrum in between. But if there is a polar opposite to the elegant antiques you bought in Europe to adorn your Aurora homes, it is the tchotchke. Tchotchke (pronounced choch-kee, also spelled chotsky) is a word for the cheap, random detritus that you can find in any second hand store or tacky apartment. This article will help you tell the difference between quality and tchotchke and give you the meaning and origins of the word.

Tchotchke is a Yiddish word created from several Slavic language words for toys. Since the original word is written in the Cyrillic alphabet, there is no official spelling. Instead, it is transliterated into English in a variety of forms. Any that encourage the reader to make the sounds that correspond to the ones in the Slavic word is acceptable when describing the junk in your Yorkville condos. Synonyms for tchotchke include knickknacks, baubles, trinkets, kitsch, and occasionally swag.

In its most common context, tchotchke is used to describe cheap, worthless, tacky, disposable objects that are not built to last and almost always serve no useful purpose, such as the figurines and trinkets that commonly grace the shelves in Jewish homes (hence the Yiddish connection). The word tchotchke has also worked its way into popular slang and may also be used by trend conscious slangsters to describe some of the things while you're at the Junction shopping.

Though everyone likes to think they have enough class not to adorn their home with tchotchke, the truth is that almost everyone has some in their Fenelon Falls real estate. The cheap plastic snow globe you picked up at Eurodisney, the free pens from your last conference, the ceramic figurine from the dollar store that your niece gave you all count as tchotchke. In fact, shops selling souvenirs to tourists are often called tchotchke shops. Some people have entire tchotchke collections.

Another common definition for tchotchke is swag, which is the free stuff with logos on it that you pick up at conferences and trade shows. Any unit at 10 Avoca Avenue likely has at least one of these items in it. This type of tchotchke include pens, book lights, pencils, luggage tags, business card holders, bags, caps, USB drives, CDs, brochures, alarm clocks, erasers, note pads, mp3 player cases, magnets, stickers, buttons, and key chains.