Re: yiddish


Peter T. Daniels wrote:
On Jan 26, 1:05 pm, phogl...@xxxxxx wrote:
On 25 tammi, 23:30, ivan danicic <i...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hello, is it correct to describe yiddish as a German dialect?
IvanIt depends. Historically speaking, it is of course a German dialect to
start with.

It is not "of course a German dialect to start with." It does not fit
(neatly or otherwise) into the German-dialect-continuum.

Nor do the German dialects of northern Italy, and still they are
perceived as German dialects. Besides, there is quite a bit of mutual
intelligibility between German and Yiddish. And actually, it does to
some extent fit - it is still distinctively Rhinelandish.


On the other hand, it has its own distinct literature and
its literary norm. On the gripping hand, even recent history knows
examples of native Yiddish speakers who turned to standard German for
literary purposes.

A distinctive literature is a criterion to be taken into account in
such questions, but it isn't probative by any means.

Maybe not, but a distinct literary norm, using a different alphabet, is
quite a criterion indeed.

I reckon the concept of diasystem would come in handy here.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: yiddish
    ... IvanIt depends. ... Historically speaking, it is of course a German dialect to ... A distinctive literature is a criterion to be taken into account in ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: yiddish
    ... Historically speaking, it is of course a German dialect to ... it has its own distinct literature and ...
    (sci.lang)