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Linguists have divided the evolution of Yiddish into four amorphous periods. Over the course of the greater part of a millennium, Yiddish went from a Germanic dialect to a full-fledged language that incorporated elements of Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages, and Romance languages.
The extraordinary support given to Yiddish, and the respect initially shown to Yiddish writers, led many around the world to see the Soviet project as the true hope for the future of the language. However, the government soon began to censor Yiddish works, and eventually closed down most Yiddish institutions.
Along with Hebrew and Aramaic, it is one of the three major literary languages of Jewish history. The earliest dated Yiddish documents are from the 12th century ce, but scholars have dated the origin of the language to the 9th century, when the Ashkenazim emerged as a unique cultural entity in central Europe.
Yiddish Language. Encyclopedia of Jewish and Israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from anti-Semitism to Zionism.
Jul 29, 2023 · July 29, 2023 LingoDigest. 5 min read. Yiddish, a fascinating and complex language, is woven deeply into the rich tapestry of Jewish history. It has played a crucial role in the diaspora and survival of the Jewish people, becoming more than just a means of communication, but a symbol of identity, resilience, and cultural preservation.
Today, Yiddish is spoken by fewer and fewer people, though it is still the primary spoken language of many ultra-Orthodox Jews, and there are still probably tens of thousands of Yiddish speakers in the former Soviet states.
Stages of Yiddish language history (after Weinreich, 1973/2008) Demarcation criterion. Early Yiddish (9th/10th century–1250) No direct evidence but a documented Jewish presence in the German-speaking area. Old Yiddish (1250–1500) So-called New High German diphthongization/monophthongization. Middle Yiddish (1500–1700/1750)
