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[[{{FULLPAGENAME}}/Wordlist]]


In the [[Lõis]] timeline, '''Ăn Yidiш''' or '''Judeo-Gaelic''' (natively: אַן ייִדיש ''ăn Yidiш'' /ən 'jidiʃ/ 'the Jewish language' or אַ גֿאָלג'־יידעך ''ă Gholj-Yidăch'' /ə ɣoldʒ 'jidəx/ 'Jewish Gaelic') is the sole surviving Goidelic language. It is called "Yiddish" in [[Verse:Lõis/English|Lõisian English]]. With over 10 million speakers, it is the main vernacular of the so-called "Galician Jews" (''năh Yidi Galцăchă'') in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. On top of the inherited Gaelic vocabulary, it mainly borrows words from Hebrew, but also from English, Khuamnisht, Togarmite and Persian.
It's mainly inspired by Yiddish and Romanian.
==Names==
Patronymics:
*Gaelic: מאַק/ניק חיים mac (m)/nic (f) Chaim
*Semitic: בּן/בּר/בּת חיים, חיימי ben (m)/bar (m)/bas (f) Chaim, Chaimi
*Azalic: חיימסאָן Chaimson
*Persian: חיימזאַדעהּ, חיימיאַן, חיימינעג'אָד Chaimzadăth, Chaimian, Chaiminejod
===Famous people===
*סקוט מאַק אהרון Scott McAharon (''Scot mac Ahárăn'') - quantum physicist and computer scientist
==Todo==
*Interrogatives: ''Cad a to o zein aget?'' 'What are you doing?'
*Cleft construction: '''''Iш''' zein leшóunes '''a''' tom a zein anéш'' = It is making languages that I'm doing now.
*tш for /tʃ/?
==Phonology==
==Phonology==
===Initials===
*Consonants: b c ch ч d f g gh j h l ł m n p r s ш t th ц v y z /b k χ tʃ d f g ɣ dʒ h l w m n p r s ʃ h ts~tɕ v j z/
===Tonality===
**Final ''h'' is silent unless before a vowel. ''th'' is pronounced even when final.
**/z/ is [ʒ] dialectally.
*''ц z ч j l'' arise from Old Irish slender t d c g l.
*Lenitions: Note that ''s'' is NOT lenitable unlike in our Irish and Gaelic.
**b /b/ > bh /v/
**d /d/ > dh /ɣ/
**f /f/ > fh /0/
**g /g/ > gh /ɣ/
**c /k/ > ch /χ/
**ч /tʃ/ > чh /ʃ/
**m /m/ > mh /v/
**p /p/ > ph /f/
**t /t/ > th /h/
**ц /ts/ > цh /h/
**j /dʒ/ > jh /j/
*Vowels: ''a e i o u ai ei oi ea oa ie ua'' /a e i o u ai ei oi~y eə oə iə uə/, vowel reduction to /ə/ common. /eə oə/ are [ei ou] dialectally.
*Stress is transcribed if not initial
*OIr oí > oi
 
==Orthography==
An Yidiш is written in an adapted Hebrew alphabet.
 
Assume no initial lenition. The consonants are spelled as follows in non-Semitic words:
 
א בּ ב גּ ג ג' ד ה הּ ז ט י(י) ל ל' מ נ ס פּ ף צ צ' ק ר ש = zero b v g gh d h th z t y l ł m n s p f ц ч c r s ш /0 b v g ɣ dʒ h h z t j l w m n s p f ts tʃ k r ʃ/.
 
Rafe is used for initial lenition: בֿ גֿ גֿ' דֿ זֿ טֿ כֿ מֿ סֿ פֿ ףֿ צֿ צֿ' קֿ תֿ for bh gh jh dh zh th ch mh sh ph fh цh чh ch th /v ɣ j ɣ j h x v h f 0 h ʃ x h/
 
/j/ between two vowels is written יי.
 
Vowels are spelled as follows (in non-Semitic words):
 
אַ ע יי י אָ אוֹ או יַי וי = /a e eə i o oə u ai oi/
 
יִ is used  for /i/ after י /j/.
 
Hebrew words are spelled as in Hebrew. A dagesh on bet, gimel, kaf, pe, or tav is always written when present. Note that ת = /s/ in Hebrew and Aramaic loans.
 
The hyphen used looks like this: מאָ־מֿאַדרע ''mo-mhadră'' 'my dog'.
 
==Grammar==
===Verbs===
Only the verbal noun and the imperative survive:
:{{heb|טאָם אַ ל'אַסעג נרות חנוכּה.}}
:'''''Tom a łasăgh nearăs hanucă.'''
:/tom ə 'wasəɣ 'neirəs 'hanukə/
:be.PRES 1SG PRES to_light.VN candle-PL Hanukkah
:''I'm lighting Hanukkah candles.'' (or ''I light Hanukkah candles'')
 
:{{heb|נאָהּ סקריבו דאָ אות אַר זי שבת!}}
:'''''Noh scrivu do oas ar zi шabăs!'''''
:PROH write-IMP.PL two character on_day Shabbat
:''Don't write two letters on Shabbat!''
 
Verbs from Hebrew are usually borrowed in the deverbal noun form.
====Tenses====
The tenses are (pres, past/conditional, fut) x (imperfective, perfective). The auxiliary controls the tense and the preposition controls the aspect.
 
*''to шe ag ih'' = he eats; he is eating
**''vil шe...'' = does he...?
**''chal шe...'' = he does not...
**''nachil шe...'' = doesn't he...?/that he does not
**''gu vil шe...'' = COMP he...
**''a to шe...'' = REL he...
*''to шe nei ih'' = he ate/has eaten
*''bei шe ag ih'' = he will eat
**''bei шe...'' = will he...?
**''cha bhea шe...'' = he will not...
**''nach bhea шe...'' = won't he...?
**''a vi шe...'' = REL he will...
*''va шe ag ih'' = he was eating/he would eat
**''roa шe...'' = was he...?/would he?
**''cha roa шe...'' = he was not.../he would not...
**''nach roa шe...'' = was he not...?/would he not...?
*''ih!'' = Eat! (2sg)
*''ihu!'' = Eat! (2pl) (from a dialectal reflex of *itheabh)
*''noh ih(u)!'' = Don't eat!
 
For stative verbs in imperfective tenses, ''i mo-, i do-, ină-, etc.'' + VN is used:
*''tom i mo-chadăl'' = I sleep
*''tom i mo-thi'' = I sit
*''tom i mo-шesăv'' = I stand
*''tom i mo-li'' = I lie (somewhere)
*''tom i mo-fhirăch'' = I live (I dwell)
 
====Conjugation====
*''to'', ''vil'', ''chal'', and ''nachil'' are conjugated as follows:
**''tom, tor, to шe/шi, toj, tohi, to шid''
**''vilim, vilir, vil шe/шi, vilij, vilhi, vil шid''
**''chalim, chalir...''
**''nachilim, nachilir...''
*''va, roa'':
**''vas, vaш, va шe/шi, vimăr, vyur, va шid''
**''rous, rouш, rou шe/шi, roumăr, rovyur, rou шid''
*''bea'': ''beam, bear, bea шe/шi, beaj, beahi, bea шid''
 
===Copula===
 
===Nouns===
Like Irish and Hebrew, An Yidiш has masculine and feminine genders. Hebrew words (usually) have the same gender as in Hebrew. There is no grammatical case.
 
Plurals are more regular, marked with mostly ''-n''/''-en'', or less commonly umlaut of ''a o u'' to ''e e i''.
 
Hebrew words often form plurals in unstressed ''-im'' /im/ or ''-es'' /əs/ but native Celtic words may use them too and not all Hebrew words use the Hebrew plural.
 
Masculine nouns: Nouns beginning with a vowel take ''ant-'', before a labial ''am-'', otherwise ''an''
*אַנט אישצשע ''ant iшчe'' = the water
*אַם בּיאַ ''am bia'' = the food
*אַן ל'אַהּ ''an łah'' = the day
*אַן צעך ''an цech'' = the house
*אַן נס ''an nes'' = the miracle
 
Feminine nouns: Nouns beginning with a lenitable consonant (except ''t'' and ''ц'') lenite and take ''a-'';
*אַ גּֿעלעך ''a jhełăch'' = the moon
*אַ מֿען ''a mhen'' = the woman/wife
*אַן אות ''an ous'' = the letter (character)
*אַן סוכּה ''an sucă'' = the booth
 
Plural nouns: ''nah-'' /nə(h)/ (the ''h'' is only pronounced before a vowel)
 
*נאַהּ־טיש ''nah tiш'' = the houses
*נאַהּ־ל'אַהן ''nah łahn'' = the days
*נאַהּ־מנאָ ''nah mno'' = the women/wives
*נאַהּ אותיות ''nah oasyăs'' = the letters
*נאַהּ סוכּות ''nah sucăs'' = the booths
*נאַהּ ניסים ''nah nisim'' = the miracles
 
Nouns may take a preposed vocative particle ''a'' which lenites.
 
===Adjectives===
Adjectives always have ''-e'' in the plural, except that the plural of ''-ech'' is ''-i'': the plural of ייִדעך ''Yidech'' 'Jew(ish)' is ייִדי ''Yidi''.
 
*pred: טאָם בּעגּ ''Tom beg.'' = I am short.
*m.sg.: ףער בּעגּ ''fer beg'' = a short man; אַם ףער בּעג ''am fer beg'' = the short man
*f.sg.: ףיור בֿעגּ ''fyur bheg'' = a short sister; אַן ףֿיור בֿעגּ ''an fhyur bheg'' = the short sister
*pl.: ףערן אָרדע ''fern orde'' = tall men; נאַה ףערן אָרדע ''nah fern orde'' = the tall men
 
Comparatives are formed by adding ניס ''nis'' 'more' and עס ''es'' 'most' before the adjective and using the comparative form of the adjective:
 
מוֹר - ניס מוֹ - עס מוֹ ''mour - nis mou - es mou'' = big - bigger - biggest
 
===Pronouns===
conj. pronouns: מע טו שע שי שין שיב שיד me tu шe шi шin шiv шid
 
disj. pronouns: מע טו ע אי שין שיב איד me tu e i шin шiv id
 
emphatic prons: מישע, טוסע, שעשן, שישע, שיניע, שיבשע, שיצן miшe, tuse, шeшn, шiшe, шinye, шivшe, шiцn
 
emphatic suffixes: -шe -se -шn -шe -ye -шe -sn
 
Possessive prefixes:
*מאָ־בּֿראָהער ''mo-bhroher'' /mo vrohəɾ/ 'my brother'; מ־אַהער ''m-aher'' /mahəɾ/ 'my father'
*דאָ־בּֿראָהער ''do-bhroher'' /do vrohəɾ/ 'thy brother'; ד־אַהער ''d-aher'' /dahəɾ/ 'thy father'
*אַ־בּֿראָהער ''a-bhroher'' /ə vrohəɾ/ 'his brother'; אַ־אַהער ''a-aher'' /a ahəɾ/ 'his father'
*אַהּ־בּראָהער ''ah-broher'' /ə brohəɾ/ 'her brother'; אַהּ־אַהער ''ah-aher'' /əh ahəɾ/ 'her father'
*אָר־בּראָהער ''or-broher'' /oɾ brohəɾ/ 'our brother'; אָרן־אַהער ''orn-aher'' /oɾn ahəɾ/ 'our father'
*באַר־בּראָהער ''var-broher'' /vəɾ brohəɾ/ 'your brother'; באַרן־אַהער ''varn-aher'' /vəɾn aheɾ/ 'your father'
*אַ־בּראָהער ''a-broher'' /ə brohəɾ/ 'their brother'; אַן־אַהער ''an-aher'' /ən ahəɾ/ 'their father'
 
''m' '' and ''d' '' are used before a vowel, a /j/ or when a lenited ''f'' results in an initial vowel or /j/: ףיור ''fyur'' /fjuɾ/ 'sister'; מ־ףֿיור ''m-fhyur''  /mjuɾ/ 'my sister'.
 
A possessive prefix must be used before every noun: 'my mother and my father' is מאָ־מֿאָהער איס מ־אַהער ''mo-mhoher is m-aher'', not ''*mo-moher is aher''.
 
===Prepositions===
*ag 'at': agom, aget, eje, eчi, agen, agev, acu
*de 'to, for': dom, dit, de, di, din, div, du
*ze 'off, away from': zom, zit, ze, zi, zin, ziv, zu
*ouh 'from': uom, uat, ua, uahi, uen, uev, uahu
*i(n) 'in': inom, inet, on, inцi, inen, inev, intu [''in'' is used before a vowel or proper names]
*ar 'on': orom, oret, er, eri, oren, orev, oru
*as 'from': asom, aset, as, aшi, asen, asev, asu
*ru 'before, in front of': rum, rut, reve, rempi, run, ruv, rompu
*ri 'with': ryom, ret, reш, rei, rin, riv, ryu
*um 'around': umom, umet, eme, empi, umen, umev, umpu
*fo 'under': fum, fut, fu, fihi, fun, fuv, fuhu
====Combinations====
''i'' + definite article is ''ins a(n/m)'' in the sg and ''ins nah'' in the plural:
 
*אינס אַן צעך ''ins ăn цech'' 'in the house'
*אינס אַן אָץ ''ins ăn oц'' 'in the place'
*אינס נאַה צירען ''ins năh цirăn'' 'in the countries'
 
''i'' + possessive ''a(n)-'': ''ina(n)-''
 
''i'' + possessive ''or-'': ''inăr-''
 
''oa'' + ''an-/am-/a-'' : ''oan-/oam-/oan-''
 
====Syntax====
Prepositions stick to every noun in a noun phrase: טאָם ניי פאָל נאַהּ ףרעגּערצן אוֹ מאָ־מֿאָהער איס אוֹ מאָ־בּראָהער ''Tom nei fol năh fregărцăn ou mo-mhohâr is ou mo-bhrohăr'' 'I got the answers from my mother and brother'
 
===Adverbs===
====Directionals====
 
===Numerals===
Numerals are always followed by the singular form.
 
0 = אפס ''efăs'', אַה אפס ''ah efăs'' (number zero)
 
counting numbers: אַה אוין, אַה דו, אַה טרי, אַה צ'עהער, אַה קוג', אַה שיי, אַה שעכט, אַה אָכט, אַה נוי, אַה זעש  ah oin, ah du, ah tri, ah чeher, ah cuj, ah шea, ah шecht, ah ocht, ah noi, ah zeш
 
11, 12, ... = oin yeg, du yeg, tri yeg...
 
20, 30, 40, ... = fiшăd, triшăd, doiшăd, cujăd, шescăd, шechtăd, ochtăd, noiăd
 
21, 22, ... = fiшăd is oin, fiшăd is du, ...
 
100, 200, ... = чead, du чhead, tri чhead, ...
 
1000 = milă
 
attributives: for 1 mutation follows gender; 2-6 lenites
 
ordinals: ''tosi, elă, triăv, чehrăv, cujăv,...'' or just ''ah N''
 
==Syntax==
An Yidiш syntax is similar to Irish or Scottish Gaelic syntax but somewhat simplified.
===Noun phrase===
Since An Yidiш lost the genitive case, most genitives use the construction ''an X ag Y'' (lit. the X at Y) when Y is a noun. For example, אַן קאַט אַגּ מאָ־מֿאַק ''an cat ag mo-mhac'' = my son's cat.
===Predicate nouns===
*"PRON is a NOUN": איש מען מע ''Iш men me'' = I'm a woman
*"X is a NOUN": איש מען אי רבקה ''Iш men i Rivcă'' = Rivcă is a woman
*"1p/2p is the NOUN": איש מישע אַ מֿען אַגּ משה ''Iш miшă a mhen ag Moaшă'' = I am Moaшă's wife
*"3p is the NOUN": שי אַ מֿען אגּ משה אי ''Шi a mhen ag Moaшă i'' = She is Moaшă's wife
**שי אַ מֿען אַג משה אי רבקה ''Шi a mhen ag Moaшă i Rivcă'' (or ''шi Rivce i a mhen ag Moaшă'') = Rivcă is Moaшă's wife
*For topics or focused predicatives: איש מונצאָריס אַ טאָ אין רבקה ''Iш munцoris a to in Rivcă'' 'Rivcă is a (female) teacher (not some other job)'
*Pred. adjectives or adjuncts use the verb בּי ''bi'':
**טאָ רבקה אָרד ''To Rivcă ord'' 'Rivcă is tall'
**טאָ רבקה אינס אַן חדר קאַדעל ''To Rivcă ins an chedăr cadăl'' 'Rivcă is in the bedroom'
 
===Infinitive phrases===
Infinitive phrases usually correspond to German ''zu''-infinitives, and are also used with some modals.
They're of the form ''a'' + VN + direct object + oblique objects, where ''de'' lenites the VN.
 
If there is a pronominal direct, ''a'' + possessive pronoun (for the pronominal object) + VN must be used, with contractions and mutations occurring as necessary.
 
Examples:
*''a thavărц matonă'' (NB: does not follow Irish!) = to give a gift (''ein Geschenk zu geben'')
*''o-thavărц dom'' = to give it (masc.) to me
*''o-tavărц dom'' = to give it (fem.)/them to me
 
==Vocabulary==
===Derivation===
*־ית ''-is'', pl. ־יות ''-iyăs'' or ־יתען ''-isăn'' 'feminine occupational suffix'
==Phrasebook==
*שלום ''Шolăm'' = Hello, goodbye
*שלום עליכם ''Шolăm aléachăm'' = Hello
*עליכם שלום ''Aléachăm шolăm'' = Hello (in response to ''шolem aléichem'')
*סל'אָן ''Słon'' = (informal) Bye
*בּיאָנאַכט אַגּעט/אַגּעב ''Byonăcht agăt/agăv'' = Thank you (lit. may you have blessing)
*ףאָלצע רוט/רוב ''Folцă rut/ruv'' = Welcome
*צ'ייד מילע ףאָלצע ''Чead milă folцă'' = A hundred thousand welcomes
*קאַרד ע אַנט ענים רעט? ''Card e ănt enim ret?'' = What is your name?
*דוד שע אנט ענים ריאָם ''Dovid шe ănt enim ryom'' = My name is David
*ביל אַן אַזעליש אַגּעט/אַגּעב? ''Vil ăn Azeliш agăt/agăv?'' = Do you speak English?
*כאַל אַן יידיש אַגּאָם ''Chal ăn Yidiш agom'' = I can't speak Ăn Yidiш
*כאַלים אַ טיקשינץ ''Chalim ă ticшinц'' = I don't understand
*ל'אַבער ניס מעלע, רי דאָ־טֿעל = ''Łavăr nis melă, ri do-thel'' = Please speak more slowly
**ל'אַברו ניס מעלע, רי באַר־טעל ''Łavru nis melă, ri văr-tel'' = above, 2pl
*טאָ איאַרי אַגּאָם אַ ל'אַבער אס יידיש, אך כאַל קומעס דאָם. ''To ieri agom ă łavăr ăs Yidiш, ach chal cumăs dom.'' = I want to speak Ăn Yidiш, but I cannot.
*בּליאַן מֿאַהּ בֿיאָניצע ''Blien mhath bhyoniцă'' /bliən vah vjonitsə/ = Happy new year
===Dates and time===
====Civil months====
====Jewish months====
====Days of the week====
Note: in {{PAGENAME}} a day is considered to begin at sunset or nightfall, as according to Jewish law.
*Sunday: זי־סוֹל ''zi-soal''
**Sunday morning: מאַזין סוֹל ''mazin soal''
**Sunday afternoon (before sunset): ףעסקער סוֹל ''fescăr soal''
**Sunday evening (after sunset): ערב ל'ואַן ''erev łuan'' (!)
**Sunday night: איישע ל'ואַן ''eiшe łuan'' (!)
*Monday: זי־ל'ואַן ''zi-łuan''
*Tuesday: זי־מאָרץ ''zi-morц''
*Wednesday: זי־צ'יידין ''zi-чeadin''
*Thursday: זי־זיירעדין ''zi-zearădin''
*Friday: זי־הייַנע ''zi-haină''
*Saturday: זי־שבּת ''zi-шabăs''
 
====Telling the time====
*טאָ שי טרי שעה ''To шi tri шo.'' = It's 3:00.
*טאָ שי דו שעה ייֵגּ ''To шi du шo yeag'' = It's 12:00.
 
===Colors===
*ףין ''fin'' = white
*דוב ''duv'' = black
*זערעגּ ''zerăg'' = red
*בּוייע ''buyă'' = yellow
*גּל'אַס ''głas'' = green
*גּאָרעם ''gorăm'' = blue
*בּאַנעש ''banăш'' = violet; purple
*דוֹן ''doan'' = brown


==Sample texts==
==Sample texts==
[[Category:Sinitic languages]][[Category:Sino-Tibetan languages]][[Category:Lõis]]
===Ma Nishtana (from the Haggadah)===
:קאַרד אַ טאָ ניי אַהרעב אַר אַן איישע שאָ אוֹ קאָך איישן עלע?
:'''''Card a to nea ahrăv ar an eiшe шo oa coch eaшăn ele?'''''
:''What has changed on this night from all other nights?''
:גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע נאַכיליג' אַ טום גּל'אַסרען אפילו אוין ל'ער, אך איש אַנאָכט אַ טאָג' דו ל'ער.
:'''''Gur ar coch eaшăn elă nachilij a tum głasrăn afílu oin łer, ach iш anócht a toj du łer.'''''
:''That on all other nights we don't dip vegetables even once, but tonight we do so twice.''
:גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע אַ טאָג' אַגּ איהּ איזיר חמץ איס מצה, אך איש אַנאָכט נאַכיליג' כּי־אם מצה.
:'''''Gur ar coch eaшăn elă a toj ag ith izir chomăц is maцă, ach iш anócht nachilij cim maцă.'''''
:''That on all other nights we eat both chometz (leavened bread) and matzo; but tonight, only matzo.''
:גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע אַ טאָג' אַגּ איהּ קאָך צ'ינעל' גּל'אַסרען, אך איש אַנאָכט נאַכיליג' כּי־אם מרור.
:'''''Gur ar coch eaшăn elă a toj ag ith coch чinăł głasren, ach iш anócht nachilij cim morăr.'''''
:''That on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables; but tonight, only bitter herbs.''
:גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע אַ טאָג' אַגּ איהּ איס טאָג' קיז אינאָר-טי איס טאָג' קיז אינאָר-לי שיאַר, אך איש אַנאָכט אַ טאָג' קאָכנע אינאָר-לי שיאַר.
:'''''Gur ar coch eaшăn elă a toj ag ith is toj ciz inăr-ti is toj ciz inăr-li шier, ach iш anócht a toj cochnă inăr-li шier.'''''
:''That on all other nights we eat while some of us sit and some of us recline, but tonight all of us recline.''
 
[[Category:Celtic languages]]

Revision as of 00:32, 22 January 2020

Judeo-Gaelic/Wordlist

In the Lõis timeline, Ăn Yidiш or Judeo-Gaelic (natively: אַן ייִדיש ăn Yidiш /ən 'jidiʃ/ 'the Jewish language' or אַ גֿאָלג'־יידעך ă Gholj-Yidăch /ə ɣoldʒ 'jidəx/ 'Jewish Gaelic') is the sole surviving Goidelic language. It is called "Yiddish" in Lõisian English. With over 10 million speakers, it is the main vernacular of the so-called "Galician Jews" (năh Yidi Galцăchă) in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. On top of the inherited Gaelic vocabulary, it mainly borrows words from Hebrew, but also from English, Khuamnisht, Togarmite and Persian.

It's mainly inspired by Yiddish and Romanian.

Names

Patronymics:

  • Gaelic: מאַק/ניק חיים mac (m)/nic (f) Chaim
  • Semitic: בּן/בּר/בּת חיים, חיימי ben (m)/bar (m)/bas (f) Chaim, Chaimi
  • Azalic: חיימסאָן Chaimson
  • Persian: חיימזאַדעהּ, חיימיאַן, חיימינעג'אָד Chaimzadăth, Chaimian, Chaiminejod

Famous people

  • סקוט מאַק אהרון Scott McAharon (Scot mac Ahárăn) - quantum physicist and computer scientist

Todo

  • Interrogatives: Cad a to o zein aget? 'What are you doing?'
  • Cleft construction: zein leшóunes a tom a zein anéш = It is making languages that I'm doing now.
  • tш for /tʃ/?

Phonology

  • Consonants: b c ch ч d f g gh j h l ł m n p r s ш t th ц v y z /b k χ tʃ d f g ɣ dʒ h l w m n p r s ʃ h ts~tɕ v j z/
    • Final h is silent unless before a vowel. th is pronounced even when final.
    • /z/ is [ʒ] dialectally.
  • ц z ч j l arise from Old Irish slender t d c g l.
  • Lenitions: Note that s is NOT lenitable unlike in our Irish and Gaelic.
    • b /b/ > bh /v/
    • d /d/ > dh /ɣ/
    • f /f/ > fh /0/
    • g /g/ > gh /ɣ/
    • c /k/ > ch /χ/
    • ч /tʃ/ > чh /ʃ/
    • m /m/ > mh /v/
    • p /p/ > ph /f/
    • t /t/ > th /h/
    • ц /ts/ > цh /h/
    • j /dʒ/ > jh /j/
  • Vowels: a e i o u ai ei oi ea oa ie ua /a e i o u ai ei oi~y eə oə iə uə/, vowel reduction to /ə/ common. /eə oə/ are [ei ou] dialectally.
  • Stress is transcribed if not initial
  • OIr oí > oi

Orthography

An Yidiш is written in an adapted Hebrew alphabet.

Assume no initial lenition. The consonants are spelled as follows in non-Semitic words:

א בּ ב גּ ג ג' ד ה הּ ז ט י(י) ל ל' מ נ ס פּ ף צ צ' ק ר ש = zero b v g gh d h th z t y l ł m n s p f ц ч c r s ш /0 b v g ɣ dʒ h h z t j l w m n s p f ts tʃ k r ʃ/.

Rafe is used for initial lenition: בֿ גֿ גֿ' דֿ זֿ טֿ כֿ מֿ סֿ פֿ ףֿ צֿ צֿ' קֿ תֿ for bh gh jh dh zh th ch mh sh ph fh цh чh ch th /v ɣ j ɣ j h x v h f 0 h ʃ x h/

/j/ between two vowels is written יי.

Vowels are spelled as follows (in non-Semitic words):

אַ ע יי י אָ אוֹ או יַי וי = /a e eə i o oə u ai oi/

יִ is used for /i/ after י /j/.

Hebrew words are spelled as in Hebrew. A dagesh on bet, gimel, kaf, pe, or tav is always written when present. Note that ת = /s/ in Hebrew and Aramaic loans.

The hyphen used looks like this: מאָ־מֿאַדרע mo-mhadră 'my dog'.

Grammar

Verbs

Only the verbal noun and the imperative survive:

טאָם אַ ל'אַסעג נרות חנוכּה.
Tom a łasăgh nearăs hanucă.
/tom ə 'wasəɣ 'neirəs 'hanukə/
be.PRES 1SG PRES to_light.VN candle-PL Hanukkah
I'm lighting Hanukkah candles. (or I light Hanukkah candles)
נאָהּ סקריבו דאָ אות אַר זי שבת!
Noh scrivu do oas ar zi шabăs!
PROH write-IMP.PL two character on_day Shabbat
Don't write two letters on Shabbat!

Verbs from Hebrew are usually borrowed in the deverbal noun form.

Tenses

The tenses are (pres, past/conditional, fut) x (imperfective, perfective). The auxiliary controls the tense and the preposition controls the aspect.

  • to шe ag ih = he eats; he is eating
    • vil шe... = does he...?
    • chal шe... = he does not...
    • nachil шe... = doesn't he...?/that he does not
    • gu vil шe... = COMP he...
    • a to шe... = REL he...
  • to шe nei ih = he ate/has eaten
  • bei шe ag ih = he will eat
    • bei шe... = will he...?
    • cha bhea шe... = he will not...
    • nach bhea шe... = won't he...?
    • a vi шe... = REL he will...
  • va шe ag ih = he was eating/he would eat
    • roa шe... = was he...?/would he?
    • cha roa шe... = he was not.../he would not...
    • nach roa шe... = was he not...?/would he not...?
  • ih! = Eat! (2sg)
  • ihu! = Eat! (2pl) (from a dialectal reflex of *itheabh)
  • noh ih(u)! = Don't eat!

For stative verbs in imperfective tenses, i mo-, i do-, ină-, etc. + VN is used:

  • tom i mo-chadăl = I sleep
  • tom i mo-thi = I sit
  • tom i mo-шesăv = I stand
  • tom i mo-li = I lie (somewhere)
  • tom i mo-fhirăch = I live (I dwell)

Conjugation

  • to, vil, chal, and nachil are conjugated as follows:
    • tom, tor, to шe/шi, toj, tohi, to шid
    • vilim, vilir, vil шe/шi, vilij, vilhi, vil шid
    • chalim, chalir...
    • nachilim, nachilir...
  • va, roa:
    • vas, vaш, va шe/шi, vimăr, vyur, va шid
    • rous, rouш, rou шe/шi, roumăr, rovyur, rou шid
  • bea: beam, bear, bea шe/шi, beaj, beahi, bea шid

Copula

Nouns

Like Irish and Hebrew, An Yidiш has masculine and feminine genders. Hebrew words (usually) have the same gender as in Hebrew. There is no grammatical case.

Plurals are more regular, marked with mostly -n/-en, or less commonly umlaut of a o u to e e i.

Hebrew words often form plurals in unstressed -im /im/ or -es /əs/ but native Celtic words may use them too and not all Hebrew words use the Hebrew plural.

Masculine nouns: Nouns beginning with a vowel take ant-, before a labial am-, otherwise an

  • אַנט אישצשע ant iшчe = the water
  • אַם בּיאַ am bia = the food
  • אַן ל'אַהּ an łah = the day
  • אַן צעך an цech = the house
  • אַן נס an nes = the miracle

Feminine nouns: Nouns beginning with a lenitable consonant (except t and ц) lenite and take a-;

  • אַ גּֿעלעך a jhełăch = the moon
  • אַ מֿען a mhen = the woman/wife
  • אַן אות an ous = the letter (character)
  • אַן סוכּה an sucă = the booth

Plural nouns: nah- /nə(h)/ (the h is only pronounced before a vowel)

  • נאַהּ־טיש nah tiш = the houses
  • נאַהּ־ל'אַהן nah łahn = the days
  • נאַהּ־מנאָ nah mno = the women/wives
  • נאַהּ אותיות nah oasyăs = the letters
  • נאַהּ סוכּות nah sucăs = the booths
  • נאַהּ ניסים nah nisim = the miracles

Nouns may take a preposed vocative particle a which lenites.

Adjectives

Adjectives always have -e in the plural, except that the plural of -ech is -i: the plural of ייִדעך Yidech 'Jew(ish)' is ייִדי Yidi.

  • pred: טאָם בּעגּ Tom beg. = I am short.
  • m.sg.: ףער בּעגּ fer beg = a short man; אַם ףער בּעג am fer beg = the short man
  • f.sg.: ףיור בֿעגּ fyur bheg = a short sister; אַן ףֿיור בֿעגּ an fhyur bheg = the short sister
  • pl.: ףערן אָרדע fern orde = tall men; נאַה ףערן אָרדע nah fern orde = the tall men

Comparatives are formed by adding ניס nis 'more' and עס es 'most' before the adjective and using the comparative form of the adjective:

מוֹר - ניס מוֹ - עס מוֹ mour - nis mou - es mou = big - bigger - biggest

Pronouns

conj. pronouns: מע טו שע שי שין שיב שיד me tu шe шi шin шiv шid

disj. pronouns: מע טו ע אי שין שיב איד me tu e i шin шiv id

emphatic prons: מישע, טוסע, שעשן, שישע, שיניע, שיבשע, שיצן miшe, tuse, шeшn, шiшe, шinye, шivшe, шiцn

emphatic suffixes: -шe -se -шn -шe -ye -шe -sn

Possessive prefixes:

  • מאָ־בּֿראָהער mo-bhroher /mo vrohəɾ/ 'my brother'; מ־אַהער m-aher /mahəɾ/ 'my father'
  • דאָ־בּֿראָהער do-bhroher /do vrohəɾ/ 'thy brother'; ד־אַהער d-aher /dahəɾ/ 'thy father'
  • אַ־בּֿראָהער a-bhroher /ə vrohəɾ/ 'his brother'; אַ־אַהער a-aher /a ahəɾ/ 'his father'
  • אַהּ־בּראָהער ah-broher /ə brohəɾ/ 'her brother'; אַהּ־אַהער ah-aher /əh ahəɾ/ 'her father'
  • אָר־בּראָהער or-broher /oɾ brohəɾ/ 'our brother'; אָרן־אַהער orn-aher /oɾn ahəɾ/ 'our father'
  • באַר־בּראָהער var-broher /vəɾ brohəɾ/ 'your brother'; באַרן־אַהער varn-aher /vəɾn aheɾ/ 'your father'
  • אַ־בּראָהער a-broher /ə brohəɾ/ 'their brother'; אַן־אַהער an-aher /ən ahəɾ/ 'their father'

m' and d' are used before a vowel, a /j/ or when a lenited f results in an initial vowel or /j/: ףיור fyur /fjuɾ/ 'sister'; מ־ףֿיור m-fhyur /mjuɾ/ 'my sister'.

A possessive prefix must be used before every noun: 'my mother and my father' is מאָ־מֿאָהער איס מ־אַהער mo-mhoher is m-aher, not *mo-moher is aher.

Prepositions

  • ag 'at': agom, aget, eje, eчi, agen, agev, acu
  • de 'to, for': dom, dit, de, di, din, div, du
  • ze 'off, away from': zom, zit, ze, zi, zin, ziv, zu
  • ouh 'from': uom, uat, ua, uahi, uen, uev, uahu
  • i(n) 'in': inom, inet, on, inцi, inen, inev, intu [in is used before a vowel or proper names]
  • ar 'on': orom, oret, er, eri, oren, orev, oru
  • as 'from': asom, aset, as, aшi, asen, asev, asu
  • ru 'before, in front of': rum, rut, reve, rempi, run, ruv, rompu
  • ri 'with': ryom, ret, reш, rei, rin, riv, ryu
  • um 'around': umom, umet, eme, empi, umen, umev, umpu
  • fo 'under': fum, fut, fu, fihi, fun, fuv, fuhu

Combinations

i + definite article is ins a(n/m) in the sg and ins nah in the plural:

  • אינס אַן צעך ins ăn цech 'in the house'
  • אינס אַן אָץ ins ăn oц 'in the place'
  • אינס נאַה צירען ins năh цirăn 'in the countries'

i + possessive a(n)-: ina(n)-

i + possessive or-: inăr-

oa + an-/am-/a- : oan-/oam-/oan-

Syntax

Prepositions stick to every noun in a noun phrase: טאָם ניי פאָל נאַהּ ףרעגּערצן אוֹ מאָ־מֿאָהער איס אוֹ מאָ־בּראָהער Tom nei fol năh fregărцăn ou mo-mhohâr is ou mo-bhrohăr 'I got the answers from my mother and brother'

Adverbs

Directionals

Numerals

Numerals are always followed by the singular form.

0 = אפס efăs, אַה אפס ah efăs (number zero)

counting numbers: אַה אוין, אַה דו, אַה טרי, אַה צ'עהער, אַה קוג', אַה שיי, אַה שעכט, אַה אָכט, אַה נוי, אַה זעש ah oin, ah du, ah tri, ah чeher, ah cuj, ah шea, ah шecht, ah ocht, ah noi, ah zeш

11, 12, ... = oin yeg, du yeg, tri yeg...

20, 30, 40, ... = fiшăd, triшăd, doiшăd, cujăd, шescăd, шechtăd, ochtăd, noiăd

21, 22, ... = fiшăd is oin, fiшăd is du, ...

100, 200, ... = чead, du чhead, tri чhead, ...

1000 = milă

attributives: for 1 mutation follows gender; 2-6 lenites

ordinals: tosi, elă, triăv, чehrăv, cujăv,... or just ah N

Syntax

An Yidiш syntax is similar to Irish or Scottish Gaelic syntax but somewhat simplified.

Noun phrase

Since An Yidiш lost the genitive case, most genitives use the construction an X ag Y (lit. the X at Y) when Y is a noun. For example, אַן קאַט אַגּ מאָ־מֿאַק an cat ag mo-mhac = my son's cat.

Predicate nouns

  • "PRON is a NOUN": איש מען מע Iш men me = I'm a woman
  • "X is a NOUN": איש מען אי רבקה Iш men i Rivcă = Rivcă is a woman
  • "1p/2p is the NOUN": איש מישע אַ מֿען אַגּ משה Iш miшă a mhen ag Moaшă = I am Moaшă's wife
  • "3p is the NOUN": שי אַ מֿען אגּ משה אי Шi a mhen ag Moaшă i = She is Moaшă's wife
    • שי אַ מֿען אַג משה אי רבקה Шi a mhen ag Moaшă i Rivcă (or шi Rivce i a mhen ag Moaшă) = Rivcă is Moaшă's wife
  • For topics or focused predicatives: איש מונצאָריס אַ טאָ אין רבקה Iш munцoris a to in Rivcă 'Rivcă is a (female) teacher (not some other job)'
  • Pred. adjectives or adjuncts use the verb בּי bi:
    • טאָ רבקה אָרד To Rivcă ord 'Rivcă is tall'
    • טאָ רבקה אינס אַן חדר קאַדעל To Rivcă ins an chedăr cadăl 'Rivcă is in the bedroom'

Infinitive phrases

Infinitive phrases usually correspond to German zu-infinitives, and are also used with some modals. They're of the form a + VN + direct object + oblique objects, where de lenites the VN.

If there is a pronominal direct, a + possessive pronoun (for the pronominal object) + VN must be used, with contractions and mutations occurring as necessary.

Examples:

  • a thavărц matonă (NB: does not follow Irish!) = to give a gift (ein Geschenk zu geben)
  • o-thavărц dom = to give it (masc.) to me
  • o-tavărц dom = to give it (fem.)/them to me

Vocabulary

Derivation

  • ־ית -is, pl. ־יות -iyăs or ־יתען -isăn 'feminine occupational suffix'

Phrasebook

  • שלום Шolăm = Hello, goodbye
  • שלום עליכם Шolăm aléachăm = Hello
  • עליכם שלום Aléachăm шolăm = Hello (in response to шolem aléichem)
  • סל'אָן Słon = (informal) Bye
  • בּיאָנאַכט אַגּעט/אַגּעב Byonăcht agăt/agăv = Thank you (lit. may you have blessing)
  • ףאָלצע רוט/רוב Folцă rut/ruv = Welcome
  • צ'ייד מילע ףאָלצע Чead milă folцă = A hundred thousand welcomes
  • קאַרד ע אַנט ענים רעט? Card e ănt enim ret? = What is your name?
  • דוד שע אנט ענים ריאָם Dovid шe ănt enim ryom = My name is David
  • ביל אַן אַזעליש אַגּעט/אַגּעב? Vil ăn Azeliш agăt/agăv? = Do you speak English?
  • כאַל אַן יידיש אַגּאָם Chal ăn Yidiш agom = I can't speak Ăn Yidiш
  • כאַלים אַ טיקשינץ Chalim ă ticшinц = I don't understand
  • ל'אַבער ניס מעלע, רי דאָ־טֿעל = Łavăr nis melă, ri do-thel = Please speak more slowly
    • ל'אַברו ניס מעלע, רי באַר־טעל Łavru nis melă, ri văr-tel = above, 2pl
  • טאָ איאַרי אַגּאָם אַ ל'אַבער אס יידיש, אך כאַל קומעס דאָם. To ieri agom ă łavăr ăs Yidiш, ach chal cumăs dom. = I want to speak Ăn Yidiш, but I cannot.
  • בּליאַן מֿאַהּ בֿיאָניצע Blien mhath bhyoniцă /bliən vah vjonitsə/ = Happy new year

Dates and time

Civil months

Jewish months

Days of the week

Note: in Judeo-Gaelic a day is considered to begin at sunset or nightfall, as according to Jewish law.

  • Sunday: זי־סוֹל zi-soal
    • Sunday morning: מאַזין סוֹל mazin soal
    • Sunday afternoon (before sunset): ףעסקער סוֹל fescăr soal
    • Sunday evening (after sunset): ערב ל'ואַן erev łuan (!)
    • Sunday night: איישע ל'ואַן eiшe łuan (!)
  • Monday: זי־ל'ואַן zi-łuan
  • Tuesday: זי־מאָרץ zi-morц
  • Wednesday: זי־צ'יידין zi-чeadin
  • Thursday: זי־זיירעדין zi-zearădin
  • Friday: זי־הייַנע zi-haină
  • Saturday: זי־שבּת zi-шabăs

Telling the time

  • טאָ שי טרי שעה To шi tri шo. = It's 3:00.
  • טאָ שי דו שעה ייֵגּ To шi du шo yeag = It's 12:00.

Colors

  • ףין fin = white
  • דוב duv = black
  • זערעגּ zerăg = red
  • בּוייע buyă = yellow
  • גּל'אַס głas = green
  • גּאָרעם gorăm = blue
  • בּאַנעש banăш = violet; purple
  • דוֹן doan = brown

Sample texts

Ma Nishtana (from the Haggadah)

קאַרד אַ טאָ ניי אַהרעב אַר אַן איישע שאָ אוֹ קאָך איישן עלע?
Card a to nea ahrăv ar an eiшe шo oa coch eaшăn ele?
What has changed on this night from all other nights?
גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע נאַכיליג' אַ טום גּל'אַסרען אפילו אוין ל'ער, אך איש אַנאָכט אַ טאָג' דו ל'ער.
Gur ar coch eaшăn elă nachilij a tum głasrăn afílu oin łer, ach iш anócht a toj du łer.
That on all other nights we don't dip vegetables even once, but tonight we do so twice.
גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע אַ טאָג' אַגּ איהּ איזיר חמץ איס מצה, אך איש אַנאָכט נאַכיליג' כּי־אם מצה.
Gur ar coch eaшăn elă a toj ag ith izir chomăц is maцă, ach iш anócht nachilij cim maцă.
That on all other nights we eat both chometz (leavened bread) and matzo; but tonight, only matzo.
גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע אַ טאָג' אַגּ איהּ קאָך צ'ינעל' גּל'אַסרען, אך איש אַנאָכט נאַכיליג' כּי־אם מרור.
Gur ar coch eaшăn elă a toj ag ith coch чinăł głasren, ach iш anócht nachilij cim morăr.
That on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables; but tonight, only bitter herbs.
גּור אַר קאָך איישן עלע אַ טאָג' אַגּ איהּ איס טאָג' קיז אינאָר-טי איס טאָג' קיז אינאָר-לי שיאַר, אך איש אַנאָכט אַ טאָג' קאָכנע אינאָר-לי שיאַר.
Gur ar coch eaшăn elă a toj ag ith is toj ciz inăr-ti is toj ciz inăr-li шier, ach iш anócht a toj cochnă inăr-li шier.
That on all other nights we eat while some of us sit and some of us recline, but tonight all of us recline.