RE: yiddish language decline?

[Yoel Epstein <yoel...>]

It is my impression, from a superficial acquaintance with the Chassidic
community in Israel, that there, too, the use of Hebrew as the preferred
spoken language is on the increase.  I remember when I went to weddings of
my in-laws 30 years ago, that I heard Yiddish almost exclusively.  Now I
hear mostly Hebrew, with occasional lapses into Hebrew.

Has anyone researched this issue?  If, in fact, the use of Hebrew is
increasing, I believe this will have a profound impact on the future of
Hassidic culture in Israel.

yoel epstein

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
[mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of Dan Peck
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 2:56 AM
To: World music from a Jewish slant
Subject: Re: yiddish language decline?


I guess no one has informed the Chassidic community who continue to
speak this "dead" language as part of their daily lives.

>Hi. Yesterday afternoon I heard a story on NPR (an introduction before the
>Yiddish Radio Project that starts broadcasting today) about the decline of
>Yiddish. A linguist (I forgot his name) stated that even though many
>students are studying the language at universities around the planet (even
>in Germany and Poland) and that there is additional interest attributed to
>the growing popularity of klezmer music there is still such a decline in
>yiddish usage that it's considered a dying language.
>
>Does that sound about right?
>
>I'm a bit surpised that it would be considered "dying" because there seems
>to be so much conscientious effort towards preservation.

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Dan Peck    Milesquare Associates  Living Traditions  Old Time Music
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