Yiddish on the Internet

This short study examines the sociolinguistic situation of Yiddish on the Internet in comparison with other languages. In particular, it describes and analyzes the language in its practical and symbolic uses on websites and mailing lists, or as cyber-vernacular and cyber-postvernacular respectively. An analysis of language choice and language use offers evidence for the increasing use of Yiddish as cyber-postvernacular. It is also argued that Yiddish as a diaspora language has more to benefit from the Internet for building speech communities even in postvernacular mode, but this potential has not been sufficiently used yet.