Barzani Jewish Neo-Aramaic

A language of Israel

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Bijil Neo-Aramaic, Lishan Didan, Lishan Dideni

Population

20 (2004 H. Mutzafi).

Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct).

Classification

Dialects

Barzan, Bijil, Shahe. Sandu is a Jewish Neo-Aramaic dialect closely related to Barzani, but several isoglosses link it with Lishana Deni [lsd].

Language Use

All older than 70 years. Some passive users in their 50s. Also use Hebrew [heb] or Kurdish [kur], some also speak other Neo-Aramaic languages.

Language Resources

Other Comments

Last Bijil dialect speaker died in 1998. Originally spoken in 3 villages near Aqra, Iraq. Also in Nerim village perhaps as a separate dialect.