Yiddish for the Skittish: A Gentle Introduction to Jewish Languages

In this session, BJ member Dr. Taylor Jones will give a gentle introduction to Jewish languages, from Hebrew to Yiddish, Ladino, and others. Why do linguists say Yiddish is not just “bad German” and Ladino isn’t just “bad Spanish”? How did these languages originate? What is Yiddish English and how is it different from Yiddish? How are terms like ‘daven’ and ‘bentsh” actually related to the Romance languages? We will talk about the history and development of Jewish languages, and about common misconceptions about them. No background necessary, all questions welcome!