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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Europe > Russian Federation (Europe) > Judeo-Tat

Judeo-Tat

A language of Russian Federation (Europe)

ISO 639-3: jdt

Population	3,020 in Russian Federation (2002 census). Population total all countries: 97,020.
Region	Dagestan, Makhachkala, Majalis, Derbent, Buinaksk, Kizlyar; South of Pyatigorsk; North Ossetia, Mozdok; Kabardino-Balkar Republic, Nalchyk; Chechnya, Grozniy. Also in Azerbaijan, Israel.
Alternate names	Tati, Judeo-Tatic, Hebrew Tat, Jewish Tat, Bik, Dzhuhuric, Juhuri, Mountain Jewish, Lahji, Musulman Tats
Dialects	South Tat, North Tat.
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Tat
Language development	Radio programs. Bible portions: 2000.
Writing system	Cyrillic script. Hebrew script. Latin script.
Comments	‘Tat’ is not an ethnic name. This is a Turkic term for ‘nomads’. Judeo-Tat speakers are called ‘Bik’; known as ‘Mountain Jews’. They call their language ‘Juwri’ or ‘Juhuri’. Tradition says that they have lived in the Caucasus since 722 A.D. Different from Takestani [tks] of Iran. Agriculturalists: marena grass for dyeing (traditionally); fruit; hides; merchants; animal husbandry: cattle. Jewish.

Also spoken in:

Azerbaijan

Language name	Judeo-Tat
Population	24,000 in Azerbaijan (1989 census).
Region	Northeast, Quba region, Baku, and Derbent (Russian Federation).
Language map	Azerbaijan
Alternate names	Bik, Dzhuhuric, Jewish Tat, Judeo-Tatic, Juhuri, Juwri
Language use	Tats attending the Gregorian (Armenian) church lived in Madrasa village until the late 1980s, and spoke a variety of Tat similar to Judeo-Tat. May have gone to Armenia or the Russian Federation.
Comments	Jewish.

Israel

Language name	Judeo-Tat
Population	70,000 in Israel (1998).
Region	Sderot, Haderah, and Or Akiva.
Alternate names	Bik, Dzhuhuric, Jewish Tat, Judeo-Tatic, Juhuri, “Tati”
Dialects	Derbend.
Comments	Speakers, called ‘Bik’, emigrating from the Caucasus Mountains to Israel at the rate of 2,000 a year. Agriculturalists: marena grass for dyeing (traditionally); merchants. Jewish.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Clifton, John M. 2009. "Do the Talysh and Tat languages have a future in Azerbaijan?."  

Clifton, John M. and others. 2003. "The sociolinguistic situation of the Tat and Mountain Jews in Azerbaijan."

Clifton, John M. and others. 2005. "Sociolinguistic situation of the Tat and Mountain Jews in Azerbaijan."  

Clifton, John M., editor. 2003. Studies in languages of Azerbaijan, vol 2.