AN ETHNOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF SEPHARDIC JEWS AND THEIR LANGUAGE IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE IN THE 19TH CENTURY IN THE EYES OF SCOTTISH PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES

Abstract

This ethnolinguistic study examines the description of Sephardic Jews and their language in the Ottoman Empire in the eyes of Scottish Protestant missionaries through the Free Church of Scotland’s letters, minutes and reports as well as educational textbooks written by the Scottish rev. Alexander Thomson (1820-1899), who was the leader of the Mission to the Jews in Constantinople for two decades. This study reveals an antirabbinical attitude hidden in educational textbooks but openly manifested in the missionaries’ letters and reports. This article also hints a more overt criticism to rabbis in later educational textbooks.