Yemenite Hebrew

Yemenite elders studying Torah, Ottoman Palestine, 1906–1918

Babylonian Supralinear Punctuation, from Yemenite Siddur, April 2015

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Supralinear--qamas

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Supralinear--patah

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Supralinear--sere

Supralinear--mobile shewa

Yemenite Hebrew is a variety of Hebrew traditionally spoken by the Yemenite Jewish community. This dialect of Hebrew is notable for its preservation of certain phonetic and grammatical features that have been lost in other dialects, making it a valuable resource for linguists and scholars of ancient Hebrew.

History

Yemenite Hebrew has its origins in the Babylonian captivity, when Jews were exiled from the Kingdom of Judah to Babylon in the 6th century BCE. After the exile, Jewish communities spread throughout the Middle East, including to Yemen. The isolation of the Yemenite Jewish community helped preserve many aspects of their language and traditions. Yemenite Hebrew is thus considered one of the most ancient and conservative forms of Hebrew still in use.

Phonology

Yemenite Hebrew is distinguished by several phonetic features that are closer to the Biblical and Mishnaic Hebrew pronunciations than those of other modern Hebrew dialects. Notably, it maintains the distinction between the phonemes of the letters "aleph" (א) and "ayin" (ע), and between "tet" (ט) and "tav" (ת), which in many other Hebrew dialects are pronounced the same. Additionally, the pronunciation of the "gimmel" (ג) without a dagesh is as a voiced velar fricative [ɣ], similar to the Arabic "غ".

Grammar

The grammar of Yemenite Hebrew also retains several archaic features. For example, the use of the pausal form, a form used at the end of verses or sentences in Biblical Hebrew, is preserved in Yemenite Hebrew. The dialect also exhibits unique characteristics in its verb conjugations and noun declensions, maintaining distinctions that have been levelled in other dialects.

Literature and Liturgy

Yemenite Jews have a rich tradition of religious and liturgical literature, including the Torah, Haftarah, and other Jewish texts. Their pronunciation and chanting of these texts follow the Yemenite tradition, which is believed to closely resemble the ancient pronunciation. The Diwan, a collection of Jewish poetry and liturgical songs, is a unique aspect of Yemenite Jewish cultural heritage, incorporating both Hebrew and Aramaic elements.

Modern Times

In modern times, the majority of Yemenite Jews have emigrated to Israel, following Operation Magic Carpet in 1949-1950. In Israel, Yemenite Hebrew has influenced the development of modern Israeli Hebrew, particularly in the areas of phonology and pronunciation. However, the widespread use of Israeli Hebrew has led to a decline in the use of Yemenite Hebrew among younger generations of Yemenite Jews.

Preservation

Efforts are being made to preserve Yemenite Hebrew, both within Israel and among scholars and linguists worldwide. These efforts include academic studies, recordings of native speakers, and educational programs aimed at teaching the dialect to younger Yemenite Jews.