Yiddish Vs Hebrew: Comparing Hebrew and Yiddish Language Translations

Yiddish or Hebrew?

As a translation company that specializes in professional Hebrew translation, among other Middle Eastern languages, we've found that there is often some confusion about which language is spoken more by Jewish communities: Hebrew or Yiddish? The answer is, both. But these two languages are quite different from one another, despite the fact that they both use the Hebrew writing system.

 As a language, Yiddish is not nearly as old as Hebrew. Yiddish is a fusion language developed by Ashkenazi Jews living in and around Germany and Poland. It was developed slowly from around 1300 up to the 19th century, partly by Jewish women who were not taught Hebrew, and partly because ancient Hebrew was believed to be too holy for everyday communication. Yiddish was therefore slowly created by borrowing mainly German, and adding Hebrew, Aramaic and several other languages. Yiddish was the international language for Ashkenazic Jews all the way up until the time of the Shoah (Holocaust).  

Ancient Hebrew vs. Modern Hebrew Language Translations

 All types of Judaism have always used biblical Hebrew in Jewish liturgy. Modern Hebrew, which is spoken in Israel, is a contemporary, modified language from the ancient Hebrew of the Torah. Sephardic Jews in Israel, the Middle East and North Africa typically do not know Yiddish, and are unique in the sense that they speak Hebrew rather than Yiddish, and furthermore, because Yiddish was never a part of their cultural history or language.

 Biblical Hebrew is also often learned at a young age by Orthodox Jews, which is taught in yeshivas and synagogues. For Hasidic Jews, learning ancient Hebrew - not modern Hebrew - is a requirement, and likewise usually encouraged among most Hasidim to speak only in Yiddish, rather than English, when speaking to family and other members of their community. However, Ashkenazic Jews all over the world often incorporate Yiddish vocabulary and terms of reference into their native languages.

Hebrew language translations occur for both modern and ancient Hebrew forms, Religious manuscripts, the Telmud and the Torah often receive Hebrew to English translation, where as pretty much all other communication would receive modern Hebrew translation.

Basic Differences Between Hebrew and Yiddish Languages

Below is a chart that breaks down some of the major differences between Yiddish and Hebrew. This is important for those who are unsure whether to use an English to Hebrew translation or an English to Yiddish translation for a particular document, text, website or other form of communication. Most of the time, it will be English-Hebrew translation aimed at an Israeli audience that is appropriate. But, there are some less common instances when Yiddish translation is needed instead of a Hebrew translation. For example, a lawyer might need legal document translation from English to Yiddish for a Hasidic client, or Yiddish translation for labels and instructions of imported or exported goods.

Comparison of Modern Hebrew, Ancient Hebrew and Yiddish Languages

 

Language:

Modern Hebrew

Yiddish

Ancient Hebrew

 

 

Total Speakers:	About 10 million worldwide	About 3 million. However, within the last century, Yiddish was fluently spoken by 75% of the world's Jews.	used in liturgy and religious context only
Where it is spoken:	Israel, primarily, as well as Gaza, West Bank, and globally as a liturgical language	Throughout Europe and the Western Hemisphere, Yiddish-speaking Jewish communities live in Moldova, Russia, and the U.S. It is an official language in Sweden, Moldova, the Netherlands, and a part of Russia. The largest Yiddish-speaking Jewish communities live in the U.S, in Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles, California.	The language of the Torah, also spoken in Jewish prayers, recitations, and other religious texts ceremonies.   Used worldwide in Jewish liturgy and prayer.
Alphabet and pronunciation:	The modern Hebrew alphabet follows the ancient Hebrew - letters are all consonants, and contains no vowels, which are signified by dots and dashes.	Yiddish uses the Hebrew alphabet, but modifies it by adapting some Hebrew letters to be vowels, and others as Hebrew letter combinations	The original Hebrew alphabet, which contains no written vowels.