Some aspects of the multilingualism of Estonian Jews

Abstract

The topic ofthe present ar fiele is the socio-cultural history of Estonian Jews as well as main patterns of their linguistic behavior. This atypical Jewish Community definitely deserves more scholarly attention than it has received. It is important to stress that not all Jews living in Estonia today are considered to be Estonian Jews. Only those who were born and/or whose socialization took place in independent Estonia (1918-1940) and their descendants are included in Ms group. Those who migrated to Estonia ofter 1940 belong socio-culturally and linguistically t o a different Community (Russian language and cultural orientation). Estonian Jews are multilingual as a rule (Estonian, Yiddish, Russian, German); however, reasonsfor their multilingualism differ from those of a traditional Jewish Community. In our case these reasons include: smallsize of the minority, high rate ofurbanization, lack ofstrict orthodoxy, acculturation and modernization. Yiddish dialect spoken in Estonia, or Estonian Yiddish, is highly valuedby its Speakers. The Status of Yiddish among other co-territorial languages is discussedin thispaper. Linguistic behavior is basedlargely on a high degree of linguistic awareness (Speakers enjoy their multilingualism). However, the number of Yiddish Speakers is constantly decreasing due to certain historical events (Soviel and Nazi occupation of Estonia, abolition of cultural autonomy, Soviel ethnic policy, etc). The possibilities offuture developments — a shift to other languages, the emergence of a Yiddish-Estonian-Russian mixed variety, a new multilingualism of Yiddish-speaking immigrants — should all be taken into consideration.

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