ULOGA DOMENA RELIGIJE U PROCESU OČUVANJA MANJINSKOG JEZIKA: PRIMER SEFARDSKE ZAJEDNICE U BEOGRADU
THE ROLE OF THE DOMAIN OF RELIGION IN THE MAINTENANCE OF A MINORITY LANGUAGE: SEPHARDIC COMMUNITY IN BELGRADE AS AN EXAMPLE

Summary/Abstract: The language and religion of Spanish Jews were an important pillar in the preservation of their linguistic and ethnic characteristics. They settled in Belgrade in the 16th century, where they lived in isolation until the second half of the 19th century, which helped them preserve their religion and tradition and pass them down to the next generations. In that period they started to integrate into the majority of community. Some domains, such as profession and education, led to the language shift. However, the domain of religion had a positive effect on the maintenance of the Judeo-Spanish language, which was used for daily communication. The study of religious books included the knowledge of Hebrew. It was possible for the members of the Sephardic community in Belgrade to receive religious instruction and study Hebrew. The members of the elderly generation in particular insisted on maintaining ethnic and linguistic identities by fostering religious traditions. Despite their efforts but despite that, the Serbian language began to penetrate this sphere.

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