The Interplay of Ethnic Identity and Language Attitudes among Mountain Jews: Implications for Heritage Language Preservation

• In Event: Linguistic Analysis in Eastern Europe

Abstract

Ethnic Identity (EI) and Language Attitudes (LA) have been studied within distinct disciplines. The present study explores the intricate relationship between these two constructs among Mountain Jews (MJs) across three generations in Israel and the US. Mountain Jews, native to the eastern Caucasus, arrived in Israel and the US throughout the mass immigration from Former Soviet Union (FSU). The study focuses on the impact of EI on attitudes towards the two heritage languages (HLs) spoken by this community, Juhuri, the traditional Jewish language of MJs, and Russian, the local societal language in FSU. A newly established scale based on the affective-behavioral-cognitive attitude structure, as well as the validated Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure-Revised scale by Phinney and Ong (2007) were used.

Findings revealed nuanced differences in EI and LA across countries and generations. In Israel, while EI remains stable across generations, LAs decline, particularly towards Juhuri, reflecting the dominance of Hebrew. Conversely, in the US, where no single ethnic background binds the American community, EI exploration increases, with positive affective attitudes towards Juhuri. Russian, despite its prominence, shows slightly declining attitudes in Israel but remains positively perceived across generations in the US.

The study underscores the significant role of EI in shaping language attitudes. Stronger correlations observed in Israel compared to the US, where the connection of MJ identity and attitudes toward Russian disappears across generations. Commitment to EI emerges as a key predictor of positive language attitudes, particularly towards Juhuri, highlighting its role as a marker of cultural heritage. Conversely, EI exploration among younger generations in the US fosters positive attitudes towards Juhuri, indicative of a desire to connect with cultural roots in a country where Jewish culture is not as dominant as in Israel.

The differential relations between the two constructs across continents and generations provide better understanding of the interplay between EI and LA, yielding implications for language maintenance efforts. We suggest that fostering a strong EI by means of educational strategies can promote the preservation of HLs.

Author

• Ronald Shabtaev, Bar-Ilan University