Judaeo-Portuguese, Jewish-Portuguese or Judaeo-Lusitanic, is an extinct Jewish language or a dialect of Galician-Portuguese written in the Hebrew alphabet that was used by the Jews of Portugal.
Description It was the vernacular of Sephardi Jews in Portugal before the 16th century and also in many places of the Portuguese Jewish diaspora. Its texts were written in the Hebrew script (aljamiado português) or the Latin alphabet.
As Portuguese Jews intermarried with other expelled Sephardim, the language influenced the nearby Judeo-Spanish. Close similarity to Standard Portuguese made Judeo-Portuguese go extinct in Portugal,
History The earliest known text containing Judeo-Portuguese text is a manuscript from 1262 about illuminating manuscripts called O livro de como se fazem as cores. After the Jewish exodus from Portugal in 1497 many Portuguese Jews would flee to the Dutch Republic and Judeo-Portuguese would intake much Dutch influence. This same exodus would cause the language to spread to the Turkish Jewish community. It would go extinct in the early 19th century, though since then has only been used liturgically.
Literature The oldest text containing Judeo-Portuguese is a manuscript from 1262 about illuminating manuscripts called O livro de como se fazem as cores. During the 15th century several texts including one about medical astrology and a prayer book. Even until today is it still used liturgically but only by very few people.
Decline The decline of Judeo-Portuguese would begin with the introduction of public schooling. Eventually declining to home use before finally only being used liturgically.
Characteristics There existed several dialects of Judeo-Portuguese divided into 2 categories referred to as Peninsular Judeo-Portuguese and Emigre Judeo-Portuguese, though the differences between them are unclear.
Portuguese archaisms Judaeo-PortugueseModern PortugueseEnglish meaningalgũa/אלגומהalgumaanyangora/אנגורהاagoranowdous/דוסdoistwohũa/הואumaa, an, one
Influences from Hebrew Judeo-PortugueseHebrewEnglish meaningקדוש/kadoš/holyישיבה/ješiva/Religious Schoolמַצָּה/macá/ritual breadמִצְוָה/micvá/commandmentsראש/roš/headראשים/rašim/headsראש השנה/roš hašaná/Jewish New Yearשבת/šabá/Saturdayצדקה/cedaká/charityקְהִלָה/kejlá/congregationקידוש/kiduš/blessing over the wineטבה/tevá/central platform in the synagogue
Influences from Judaeo-Spanish/Ladino Judaeo-PortuguesePortugueseJudaeo-Spanish (Ladino)English meaningajháaythere isDioDeus (arch. Deo)DioGodmanimmãosmanoshands
Influences from Greek Judeo-PortugueseGreekEnglish meaningesnoga/synagogue
Influence on other languages Judeo-Portuguese has influenced several languages. These include Balkan dialects of Ladino, and Portuguese.
Sample text +Judeo PortugueseJudeo Portuguese (transliterated)Englishאו ליברו די מג׳יקהO Livro De MagicaThe Book of MagicN/AA todos nossos Irmãos, prezos pela InquisiçãoTo all our brethren confined by the Inquisition
See also History of the Jews in Portugal Spanish and Portuguese Jews Lusophone Lusitanic Pallache family Judeo-Spanish Judaeo-Papiamento
References
External links Judaeo-Portuguese at the Jewish Language Research Center Thesouro dos Dinim, a halakhic work (annotated transcription) Thesouro dos Dinim, a halakhic work (partial facsimile) Menasseh Ben Israel de la fragilidad humana y inclinacion del hombre al peccado. Parte primera Strolovitch, Devon L. (2005) Old Portuguese in Hebrew Script: Convention, Contact, and Convivência. Ph.D. dissertation, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.