The primary language of Palestine is Arabic.
| Languages of Palestine | |
|---|---|
 Warning sign in English, Hebrew and Arabic near Qasr al-Yahud | |
| Official | Arabic |
| Recognised | Armenian, Domari language |
| Vernacular | Palestinian Arabic |
| Foreign | English, French |
| Signed | Palestinian Sign Language |
| Keyboard layout | |
Overview
editPalestinian Arabic is the main language spoken by Palestinians and represents a unique dialect. A variety of Levantine Arabic, it is spoken by Arab citizens of Israel and by Palestinian populations in the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel.[1] However, Palestinian refugees in other parts of the world may speak a different dialect from Palestinian Arabic. In the West Bank, there are many Israeli settlements in which, since the early 20th century, Hebrew has become more common. Russian and Amharic have also started to appear as a result of Aliyah from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia, as have other European languages brought by Jewish settlers.[2]
In ancient and medieval times, many other languages had also been spoken in Palestine for ceremonial purposes or otherwise, including Latin and other Italic languages, French, Germanic languages, Classical Arabic and Greek. However, they gradually faded away along with geopolitical shifts and the end of feudalism.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations: L-R - Page 1492, James Minahan - 2002
- ^ Struggle and Survival in Palestine/Israel - Page 403, Gershon Shafir - 2012
- ^ Naming Patterns in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, p. 42, Iris Shagrir - 2003
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