Ethnologue 14 report for language code:TAT

JUDEO-TAT: a language of Israel

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: TAT

ISO 639-2: ira

Population

70,000 in Israel (1998). Population total all countries 101,000.

Region

Sderot, Haderah, and Or Akiva, Israel. None in Iran. They are emigrating from the Caucasus Mts. to Israel at the rate of 2,000 a year. Also spoken in Azerbaijan, Russia (Europe).

Alternate names

JUDEO-TATIC, JEWISH TAT, BIK, DZHUHURIC, JUWRI, JUHURI

Dialects

DERBEND.

Classification

Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Tat.

Comments

Several dialects. Difficult intelligibility with Mussulman Tat. There may also be a Christian dialect. Speakers of Judeo-Tat are called 'Bik'. They call their language 'Juwri' or 'Juhuri'. They are called 'Gorskiye Yevreyi', or 'Mountain Jews' in the Caucasus. Speakers consider the label 'Tati' to be pejorative. Tradition says that they have lived in the Caucasus since 722 B.C. Different from Takestani of Iran. Recently private literature uses Hebrew script. Cyrillic script used in Russia. Roman alphabet was used there officially from 1920 to 1940. Agriculturalists: marena grass for dying (traditionally), merchants. Jewish. Bible portions 1980.

Also spoken in:

Azerbaijan

Language name	JUDEO-TAT
Population	24,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census).
Alternate names	JUDEO-TATIC, JEWISH TAT, BIK, DZHUHURIC, JUWRI, JUHURI
Comments	Tats holding to the Gregorian (Armenian) church used to live in Madrasa village until the late 1980s, and spoke a variety of Tat similar to Judeo-Tat. They may have gone to Armenia or Russia. Jewish. Bible portions 1980. See main entry under Israel.

Russia (Europe)

Language name	JUDEO-TAT
Population	7,000 in Russia (1989 census).
Alternate names	JUDEO-TATIC, HEBREW TAT, JEWISH TAT, BIK, DZHUHURIC, JUWRI, JUHURI
Dialects	DERBEND.
Comments	Difficult intelligibility with Mussulman Tat. There may also be a Christian dialect. Speakers of Judeo-Tat are called 'Bik'. They are known as 'Mountain Jews'. They call their language 'Juwri' or 'Juhuri'. Tradition says that they have lived in the Caucasus since 722 B.C. Different from Takestani of Iran. Cyrillic script. Literature produced officially from 1920 to 1940 in Roman script. Recent private literature uses Hebrew script. Radio programs. Mountain slope. Agriculturalists: marena grass for dying (traditionally), fruit, cattle; hides; merchants. Jewish. Bible portions 1980. See main entry under Israel.