Oral tradition has been fundamental for transmitting knowledge, stories, and values from generation to generation, especially in indigenous and rural communities. However, globalization and technological advancement have endangered many minority languages, including Judeo-Spanish.
Judeo-Spanish, also known as Ladino or Djudezmo, is a language derived from medieval Castilian, historically spoken by the Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. This language has preserved many characteristics of old Spanish, including vocabulary and grammatical structures that have disappeared from modern Spanish.
After the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, the Sephardim settled in regions such as the Ottoman Empire, where Judeo-Spanish evolved independently, incorporating influences from Turkish, Greek, Arabic, French, and Italian.
Currently, Judeo-Spanish is spoken in dispersed communities in Israel, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, America, and other countries. However, the number of speakers is decreasing, and in many cases, it is used in family or religious contexts. There are efforts to revitalize it through teaching and literature, such as the creation of the National Academy of Judeo-Spanish in Israel, which seeks to preserve and promote the use of this language.
The loss of languages also implies the disappearance of myths, legends, and traditional knowledge. According to UNESCO, thousands of languages are in danger of extinction. Linguistic revitalization and the recording of oral tradition are key efforts to conserve this intangible heritage. Protecting languages is protecting the cultural diversity of humanity.
In addition to Judeo-Spanish, other European languages are severely threatened. For example, Budukh, spoken by only 200 people in a village in northeastern Azerbaijan, and Wymysorys, spoken by less than 20 people in Poland. UNESCO has identified 52 European languages as "severely threatened," meaning they are only spoken by the oldest generations and are at risk of disappearing completely.
The preservation of these languages is vital to keep a unique part of the cultural history of Europe and the world alive. It is essential to support initiatives that promote their teaching and use, as well as to document and disseminate their linguistic and cultural richness for future generations.