On the Arabic Dialect of the Jews of Qāmišli (North-East Syria)

This chapter explores the Arabic dialect of the Jewish community of Qāmišli, a town in northeastern Syria near the Turkish border. Originating largely from the city of Nuṣaybin, the Qāmišli Jewish dialect (QāJ) is a distinct member of the Qəltu Arabic group, sharing linguistic features with dialects of southern Turkey and northern Iraq. The research draws on fieldwork, including interviews with informants who emigrated to Israel, to document the phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical characteristics of QāJ.

The Qāmišli Jewish community, formed in the early 20th century, was shaped by waves of migration from Turkey, Iraq, and Kurdistan. The dialect reflects these influences, incorporating Hebrew vocabulary and showing traces of Turkish and Kurdish linguistic elements. Unlike other Syrian Jewish dialects, QāJ is socio-linguistically distinct, often looked down upon by the more prestigious Aleppo Jewish dialect. This distinction also reflects socio-economic disparities and the community's marginalization within Syrian Jewish society.

The chapter highlights unique phonological shifts, such as the irregular replacement of /r/ with /ġ/, and distinctive morphological patterns, including the preservation of certain suffixes found in Qəltu dialects. Additionally, the chapter documents cultural and linguistic practices, including unique Hebrew-Arabic hybrid usages and local Jewish customs.

Today, QāJ is nearly extinct, with most of its speakers residing in Israel and adopting Hebrew for daily communication. The study underscores the urgency of documenting such endangered dialects, as they offer valuable insights into the linguistic and cultural history of Jewish diasporas in the Levant