The Acoustic Culture of Yiddish

This essay examines the acoustics of Yiddish and the ways in which Yiddish signifies beyond the boundaries of formal Yiddish speech and language. Pursuing the extra-linguistic ways in which Yiddish circulates opens up new opportunities for engagement in Jewish culture. To be sure, listeners need speakers, but redirecting the focus of Yiddish culture from speakers and writers to listeners validates the importance of listening within a Jewish context and begins to explore the terrain of listening as a distinct and important cultural practice.