Издатель: Educational Services Corporation
Автор(коллектив): Educational Service
Серия: Language-30
Год издания: 1995
Страниц: 29
Язык: English
Iddish, literally meaning Jewish or language of Jews (Yidn), dates back a thousand years to the Upper Rhineland area of today's Germany, and became the mother tongue, or mame-toshen, of the Ashkenazis, the Jewish people of Easte Europe. In the Jewish society of medieval Europe, spoken Yiddish was the language of conversation, trade, family affairs, and story-telling. Yiddish became the language of everyday use, and allowed discussion of the sacred books and laws which were written in Hebrew and Aramaic. This avoided the debasement of the Hebrew holy tongue, or loshen koydesh.
Yiddish is a Germanic language and therefore it closely resembles German in grammar and vocabulary. It also incorporates a significant percentage of words from Hebrew, and is written in the Hebrew alphabet from right to left.
Over the centuries, as speakers of Yiddish spread into Easte Europe, Yiddish also absorbed many elements of the Balto-Slavic and Romance languages ofy that area. Yiddish speakers also pepper their speech with these and other languages, depending on the audience.
More recently, the Yiddish language in the United States has absorbed many English words and expressions. Later, due the desires of the younger generations to become integrated Americans, the everyday use of Yiddish in the USA declined in favor of English.
However, in many parts of the world today, people have discovered the richness of the Yiddish language, with its expressions, literary heritage and culture. Many universities around the world offer Yiddish courses and it is spoken in newly-revived Yiddish clubs worldwide. Yiddish is also still spoken by the orthodox Jewish religious communities, and by the elderly. Yiddish periodicals continue to be published worldwide.
Автор(коллектив): Educational Service
Серия: Language-30
Год издания: 1995
Страниц: 29
Язык: English
Iddish, literally meaning Jewish or language of Jews (Yidn), dates back a thousand years to the Upper Rhineland area of today's Germany, and became the mother tongue, or mame-toshen, of the Ashkenazis, the Jewish people of Easte Europe. In the Jewish society of medieval Europe, spoken Yiddish was the language of conversation, trade, family affairs, and story-telling. Yiddish became the language of everyday use, and allowed discussion of the sacred books and laws which were written in Hebrew and Aramaic. This avoided the debasement of the Hebrew holy tongue, or loshen koydesh.
Yiddish is a Germanic language and therefore it closely resembles German in grammar and vocabulary. It also incorporates a significant percentage of words from Hebrew, and is written in the Hebrew alphabet from right to left.
Over the centuries, as speakers of Yiddish spread into Easte Europe, Yiddish also absorbed many elements of the Balto-Slavic and Romance languages ofy that area. Yiddish speakers also pepper their speech with these and other languages, depending on the audience.
More recently, the Yiddish language in the United States has absorbed many English words and expressions. Later, due the desires of the younger generations to become integrated Americans, the everyday use of Yiddish in the USA declined in favor of English.
However, in many parts of the world today, people have discovered the richness of the Yiddish language, with its expressions, literary heritage and culture. Many universities around the world offer Yiddish courses and it is spoken in newly-revived Yiddish clubs worldwide. Yiddish is also still spoken by the orthodox Jewish religious communities, and by the elderly. Yiddish periodicals continue to be published worldwide.