Ashkenazi Hebrew

Ashkenazi Hebrew is a dialect of Hebrew traditionally used by Ashkenazi Jews, Jews of Central and Eastern European descent. This dialect is different from the Sephardic Hebrew and Mizrahi Hebrew, which are used by Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews respectively.

History

Ashkenazi Hebrew originated in the Middle Ages, around the 9th century. It was widely used in Ashkenazi communities for religious, literary, and legal purposes. The dialect was influenced by the surrounding languages of the Ashkenazi Jews, including Yiddish, German, and Slavic.

Characteristics

Ashkenazi Hebrew is characterized by certain phonetic differences from other forms of Hebrew. For example, the letter "ת" is pronounced as "s" instead of "t" when it appears without a dagesh. The vowels also have different pronunciations compared to other dialects.

Usage

Today, Ashkenazi Hebrew is primarily used in liturgical contexts, such as in synagogue services and in the study of religious texts. It is also used in yeshivas, Jewish religious schools, particularly among those of Ashkenazi descent.

See also

• Sephardic Hebrew
• Mizrahi Hebrew
• Yiddish
• History of the Jews in Europe

External links

• Jewish Languages - Ashkenazi Hebrew