Abstract
Abstract The loshn koydesh (Hebrew and Aramaic) component has historically influenced the development of Yiddish lexis and grammar. We examine its contemporary use among 26 native speakers of contemporary Hasidic Yiddish from Israel, New York, and London using a written questionnaire examining the gender of loshn koydesh nouns, periphrastic verbs with a Hebrew/Aramaic element, and adjectives derived from the loshn koydesh element of periphrastics. Our findings show that there are differences on both the geographical and gender axes, many of which are consistent with the speakers’ varied exposure to Modern Hebrew, English, and loshn koydesh. We also found that the loshn koydesh component has developed since the pre-War stage of the language in ways that seem to affect contemporary Hasidic Yiddish usage in all locations and for both genders. We take these developments to provide evidence for the existence of this newly emergent variety of Yiddish – Contemporary Hasidic Yiddish.
Highlights
We investigate three different areas where the loshn koydesh component has formed an integral part of Yiddish grammar, namely 1) the gender of loshn koydesh nouns, 2) periphrastic verbs with a loshn koydesh element, and 3) adjectives based on loshn koydesh passive participles
Questionnaire In order to investigate the domains of nominal gender, use of periphrastics, and derivational patterns in adjectives, as they relate to the loshn koydesh component of Yiddish, we developed a questionnaire to elicit written data and judgments from native Hasidic Yiddish speakers in a) Israel, b) the New York area, and to a smaller extent c) London’s Stamford Hill
We hope that this study has provided readers insight into the contemporary language practices surrounding the loshn koydesh component of Yiddish as spoken by Hasidim in Israel, New York, and London
Summary
We aim to explore speakers’ attitudes to synonyms to periphrastics derived from the Germanic component of Yiddish as well as direct and integrated borrowings from English and Modern Hebrew. For Germanic verbs without a transparent English cognate, we aim to ascertain whether our participants in majority English-speaking countries will prefer them to the loshn koydesh forms and/or the forms based on Modern Hebrew verbs. Our aim was to investigate morphological patterns in the derivation of adjectives from loshn koydesh past participles
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