Judeo-Iraqi Arabic (), also known as Iraqi Judeo-Arabic and Yahudic, is a

variety of Arabic Varieties of Arabic (or dialects or vernaculars) are the linguistic systems that Arabic speakers speak natively. Arabic is a Semitic language within the Afroasiatic family that originated in the Arabian Peninsula. There are considerable variation ...

spoken by

Iraqi Jews The history of the Jews in Iraq (, ', ; , ) is documented from the time of the Babylonian captivity . Iraqi Jews constitute one of the world's oldest and most historically significant Jewish communities. The Jewish community in Mesopotamia, kn ...

History

The language originated among Jews living in various regions of Iraq. With the migration of Iraqi Jews to other countries, the language spread to those new locations. In Israel, the language was widely used among Jews who emigrated from Iraq, and to this day, many Israelis, including those whose parents emigrated from Iraq, continue to use it. The language was also used in the Baghdadi community in India and other communities of Jewish Iraqi immigrants in the far east. In 1992, there were 120 Judeo-Iraqi Arabic speakers remaining in Iraq. In 2018, there were speakers of the language in Israel. The best known variety is

Baghdad Jewish Arabic Baghdad Jewish Arabic (, ) or autonym (Jewish Speech) or (our speech) is the variety of Arabic spoken by the Jews of Baghdad and other towns of Lower Mesopotamia in Iraq. This dialect differs from the North Mesopotamian Arabic spoken by Jews ...

, although other dialects were spoken in Mosul and elsewhere. The vast majority of Iraqi Jews have relocated to Israel and switched to

Modern Hebrew Modern Hebrew (, or ), also known as Israeli Hebrew or simply Hebrew, is the Standard language, standard form of the Hebrew language spoken today. It is the only surviving Canaanite language, as well as one of the List of languages by first w ...

as their

first language A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period hypothesis, critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' ...

. The 2014 film '' Farewell Baghdad'' is mostly in Baghdad Jewish Arabic. It was the first movie filmed in Judeo-Iraqi Arabic.

Sample Text

References

External links

Writing SampleSpeaking SampleOLAC resources in and about the Judeo-Iraqi Arabic language
Jews and Judaism in Iraq North Mesopotamian Arabic Judeo-Arabic languages Mashriqi Arabic Languages of Israel Endangered Afroasiatic languages Languages of Iraq Jewish Iraqi history {{Israel-stub