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Generally speaking, I was a polyglot: Ladino, Bulgarian, Spanish – which I learned because of Ladino – French, Turkish, Romanian, Ivrit. I say ‘I was’ because it has been a long time now that I haven’t had anybody with whom to practice the languages I learned as a child.
Ladino was my mother tongue. I learned Spanish in my family, as my parents spoke both Ladino and Spanish; Romanian – as I’ve already mentioned my maternal grandmother came for Giurgevo in Romania. When a secret had to be told at home they spoke Romanian, so we learned it by ourselves out of childish curiosity, probably because we wanted to know by all means what they were talking about.
We also learned German out of curiosity. Moreover I studied German, French and Bulgarian at the high school. I learned English many years after that when I attended courses. Otherwise, mom and dad used to speak only Spaniol, as Bulgarian Jews usually call Ladino, at home.
Turkish I learned from the gypsy women that came home to help with the household. They spoke between each other in Turkish. I learned it from them.
Ivrit I learned in the Jewish school. I was taught by adon [‘Mister’ in Ivrit] Goldschmidt and Lea, who had come from Israel specially to teach us. I have no idea if they were a family.
Ladino was my mother tongue. I learned Spanish in my family, as my parents spoke both Ladino and Spanish; Romanian – as I’ve already mentioned my maternal grandmother came for Giurgevo in Romania. When a secret had to be told at home they spoke Romanian, so we learned it by ourselves out of childish curiosity, probably because we wanted to know by all means what they were talking about.
We also learned German out of curiosity. Moreover I studied German, French and Bulgarian at the high school. I learned English many years after that when I attended courses. Otherwise, mom and dad used to speak only Spaniol, as Bulgarian Jews usually call Ladino, at home.
Turkish I learned from the gypsy women that came home to help with the household. They spoke between each other in Turkish. I learned it from them.
Ivrit I learned in the Jewish school. I was taught by adon [‘Mister’ in Ivrit] Goldschmidt and Lea, who had come from Israel specially to teach us. I have no idea if they were a family.
Location
Bulgaria
Interview
Sultana Yulzari