Yiddish, a distinct language written in Hebrew script

Yiddish is the historical language of Ashkenazi Jews in Central and Eastern Europe. It developed on a Germanic foundation and includes Hebrew and Aramaic words. It is a distinct language with its own literature and history. 1

Hebrew script

Yiddish is written in the Hebrew alphabet, adapted to the sounds of Germanic speech. Some letters represent vowels. Hebrew and Aramaic words often retain their traditional spelling. 1

Yiddish and Hebrew both use Hebrew script but remain distinct languages. 1

An early written record

The earliest known complete sentence in Yiddish appears in the Worms Mahzor of 1272. It is a blessing for whoever brings the book to the synagogue. The manuscript shows that Yiddish was used alongside the language of prayer; it does not establish when the language itself originated. 1