Do Mizrahi Jews from the Arab countries think in Arabic rather than Hebrew? I have been told they have their own dialect of Hebrew which has been influenced by Arabic.
Since modern hebrew has very little in common with most other semitic langauges ( due to the influence of Yiddish), I would have thought that Arab Jews would prefer to speak their own language, i.e Arabic.
2007-09-27 01:30:34 · 15 answers · asked by Wrath of God 1 in Travel ➔ Africa & Middle East ➔ Israel
Arab Jews who move to Israel learn to speak Hebrew like everyone else here, and while they do not have a separate dialect, their pronunciation of Hebrew words is distinctive.
This is because Hebrew and Arabic are sister languages (Hebrew influenced Yiddish, not the other way round), many words are very similar, and so it is natural for former Arabic speakers to retain some elements of Arabic pronunciation.
For example, the letters 'Tet' and 'Taf' in the Hebrew alphabet are both pronounced simply as 't' by most Hebrew speakers, but former Arabic speakers know to pronounce them slightly differently because the corresponding letters in the Arabic alphabet are not pronounced exactly the same as each other.
Note: the fact that they learn to speak Hebrew does not mean that they necessarily stop speaking Arabic among themselves. All immigrants tend to retain their original languages too - I for one have no intention of forgetting my English...!
2007-09-27 02:27:19 · answer #1 · answered by Londoner In Israel 3 · 8⤊ 1⤋
Your information is flawed. The influence of Yiddish on Modern Hebrew is minuscule.
Jews who were forced to leave Arab countries and who mostly landed in Israel, may have spoken Arabic until they learned Hebrew, but today their children know very little Arabic. They all speak Hebrew.
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2007-09-28 09:35:27 · answer #2 · answered by Ivri_Anokhi 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Being Arabic refers to the nationallity.
Being Jewish refers to the religion.
Language is associated with the nationallity not the reigion So why should Arab Jews speak Hebrew if they are Arabs?
Of course they can learn it and speak it as a second language but their first language is Arabic not Hebrew.
Why don't all Christans speak Aramaic?
Why don't all Muslims speak Arabic?
2007-09-28 14:25:07 · answer #3 · answered by Mimi 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
since I've been around all of Israel - the majority of people who continue to use arabic between them are old grandparents from iraq,morroco, etc...which I think isn't that good because in my opinion languages are an essential part of life and one should know at least a bit.
but they have been not using it, and it's their choice. I myself know a litlle bit of how to read write and speak arabic, although I have no connection to it except learning it in school for 4 years.
another thing also the ashkenazi jews have not used their other languages as well such as: french, enlgish, german, polish, spanish, finish, swedish, greek, russian etc... so it's just a common thing happening
most of the ashkenazi jews on the other hand know arabic better then the mizrachi ones, but that will only confuse you, because you probably were never in Israel.
mizrachi jews don't have any dialect of hebrew sorry you have been told mistaken information.
anyways you seem have to strong feelings torwards arabic language which is good, but things are different here.
2007-09-27 13:29:45 · answer #4 · answered by hamarker 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Arab Jews... depends. Modern hebrew now has many Arab phrases. I think it depends on how 'Israeli' the family is... u know...Olim (ashkenazi, mizrahi, whatever) usually speak their own language at home... own meaning native, ie. anglos English, mizrahis arabic... however if they've been here for a while (more than one gen) i bet most switch to IVRIT... the language of Jews is HEBREW. Arab Jews, Spanish Jews, Euro Jews... language is still hebrew :)
2007-10-01 00:59:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I speak both.Mostly English in conversation and Arabic around family and Hebrew in prayer.I speak and write in modern Hebrew but sometimes i use the Arabic influence.I take out the Yiddish and add Arabic influences.
2007-09-27 18:30:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Your questions reek of intentional ignorance.
I have met my fair share of Mizrahi Jews, and none who were born in Israel speak Arabic as their primary language. Many do speak Arabic, as many from France speak French etc. They don't have their own dialect of Hebrew, but they have introduced their own slang. Arab Jews do choose to speak their own language: Hebrew, ancestral language of the Jews.
2007-09-27 16:09:06 · answer #7 · answered by Michael J 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
let me tell yo u
some of them talk arabic but their main language is hebrew and some of them know arabic more than hebrew . and i would know i lived there for 10 years
2007-09-27 21:41:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, most of my Jewish friends that are from the Middle East they speak either Arabic or Farsi and Hebrew is like a second language to them.
2007-09-27 12:01:07 · answer #9 · answered by Davey Boy Smith #1 Fan- VACATION 6 · 5⤊ 3⤋
Good question!
I have Israeli friends whose families originate from Yemen and Iraq. The parents, and grandparents, speak Arabic, but the children use Hebrew, though they do know some Arabic as well.
(they also cook the most DELICIOUS meals from Yemen, in particular!)
2007-09-27 10:01:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 10⤊ 2⤋