Knaanic (also called Canaanic, Leshon Knaan or Judeo-Slavic) was a West Slavic Jewish language, formerly spoken in the Czech lands, now the Czech Republic. It became extinct in the Late Middle Ages. The name Knaanic applied mainly to Judeo-Czech, but also to other Judeo-Slavic languages.

The name comes from the unrelated ancient Canaan (Hebrew כנען "Qna`an"). Similar to the case of the Hebrew name Tzarfath (biblical Zarephath) coming to be used as the name for France following the Roman expulsion of the Jews from Judæa, the reason for the use of the name Canaan for Slavic-speaking regions is not clear.

See also

• Ashkenazi
• Czech language
• Jewish languages
• Slavic languages

References

• Knaanic. Retrieved June 13, 2006, from Ethnologue: Languages of the World, fifteenth edition. SIL International. Online version.
• History of the Yiddish Language, Max Weinreich, 1980, ISBN 0226886042

Medieval languages | West Slavic languages | Extinct Slavic languages

Knaanies | Knaneg | クナアン語 | Język knaan