JS 326-000: History Of Judaic Languages (Spring 2012)

A Jewish Language is a linguistic variety that arises in a certain place and is used by Jewish speakers and writers. It is customary for these varieties to use the Hebrew script, to incorporate Hebrew and Aramaic elements into the language and to make use of a special literary genre, verbatim translations of sacred Hebrew texts (such as the Bible) into the Jewish variety. These languages rose in central and Eastern Europe (Yiddish), in the Arab world (Judeo-Arabic), in Spain (Judeo-Spanish or Ladino), in Iran (Judeo-Persian), in Italy (Judeo-Italian), in North Africa (Judeo-Berber) in Kurdistan (Judeo-Neo-Aramaic) and in other places. Jewish varieties develop also in modern times and are part of the Jewish linguistic spectrum. For example, Jewish English in the US, the Jewish variety of Spanis in Mexico or Argentina and Jewish Russian. This course explores the following issues: How have such languages arisen in different places in the world? How are they different from the related non-Jewish languages, and in what ways are they bearers of Jewish culture? How are they associated with Hebrew/Aramaic? Special emphasis will be placed on typological study of the various languages in the different places, i.e., comparative study of the phenomenon of a Jewish language. Comparisons will also be made for Christian languages and Muslim languages.

No knowledge of any specific language is required. All students are expected to attend class regularly and participate in class discussions and activities. Requirements include assignments, quizzes and fieldwork project. The course can fulfill one of the elective requirements for the Major in Middle Eastern Studies, the Major and Minor in Jewish Studies, the Minor in Linguistics.