Analiza revitalizacije hebrejskog jezika – novi jezik u obećanoj zemlji

Abstract

This article analyses the revitalization of Hebrew as an often cited example of the successful revitalization of a language, whose experience can be used in the revitalization of endangered and extinct languages. The success of Hebrew is a rare example of the overlapping of political ideology, collective striving and appropriate socio-economic factors which led to the success of language revitalization. Hebrew has gone from the phase of a “holy language” of religious rites to an official language of the jewish communities in Palestine, changing its function from a religious role to a language of a state and a nation. The article deals with the historical circumstances, sociolinguistic factors as well as extralinguistic influences which affected the rehabilitation of the Hebrew language. It also deals with the revitalization process as the political and national project which influenced the changed, hybrid nature of Hebrew and underlines experiences which could be relevant for other language communities.