TY - JOUR
KW - Yiddish
KW - Jews
KW - Hebrew
KW - Language use
KW - Ethnic identity
AU - Leo Davids
AB - One measure of ethnic identity for any non-recent immigrant group is retention of its original language (which tends to be given up in favour of the new language that post-immigration generations are immersed in). The main Jewish languages are Yiddish (the East European folk tongue) and Hebrew (the classical-Biblical language, still used in all formal synagogue activities and in Israel). We assume that the use of Hebrew or Yiddish among Canadian Jews is a gross or approximate measure of their identity retention in general, despite the fact that a vigorous Jewish life is being maintained in Canada using English predominantly. This study reviews Canadian census language data through 1996 to ascertain number, age group, and urban locations of today's Yiddish and Hebrew (Ivrit) speakers, and summarizes the comparative strengths of these tongues in Canada as we enter the new century. Discussion about education, immigration, and other variables attempts to explain the differences shown. [AB -STRACT FROM AUTHOR]
BT - Canadian Ethnic Studies
C7 - Unknown(0)
ID - 790
IS - 2; 2
LA - English
M1 - Journal Article
M3 - Print(0)
PB - Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal
PY - 2000
SN - 00083496
SP - 63
EP - 72
EP - 
T1 - Yiddish and Hebrew in Canada: The Current Situation
T2 - Canadian Ethnic Studies
VL - 32
ER -