SPAIN is set to officially recognise Ladino as a Spanish tongue.
It is hoped that in doing so, it will save the language from extinction as well as allowing Ladino words to be added into the Spanish dictionary.
Also known as Judeo-Spanish or Giudeo-Spagnola, it has been used by Spanish Jews since their expulsion from Spain in 1492.
Prof. Shmuel Rafael, director of Bar-Ilan University’s Salti Center for Ladino Studies said: “It was the main tool for creating, disseminating and preserving the spoken and written culture of the Spanish Jews.”
At one time an estimated 80% of Jews living outside of Israel spoke Ladino, however the Holocaust saw 90% of the world’s Ladino speakers killed.
It is now estimated that around 200,000 people actively speak the language.
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