Judeo-Iraqi Arabic, also known as Iraqi Judeo-Arabic and Yahudic, is a variety of Arabic spoken by Iraqi Jews.

History

The language originated among Jews living in various regions of Iraq. With the migration of Iraqi Jews to other countries, the language spread to those new locations. In Israel, the language was widely used among Jews who immigrated from Iraq, and to this day, many Israelis, including those whose parents immigrated from Iraq, continue to use it. The language was also used in the Baghdadi community in India and other communities of Jewish Iraqi immigrants in the far east. In 1992, there were 120 Judeo-Iraqi Arabic speakers remaining in Iraq. In 2018, there were speakers of the language in Israel. The best known variety is Baghdad Jewish Arabic, although other dialects were spoken in Mosul and elsewhere. The vast majority of Iraqi Jews have relocated to Israel and switched to Modern Hebrew as their first language. The 2014 film Farewell Baghdad is mostly in Baghdad Jewish Arabic. It was the first movie filmed in Judeo-Iraqi Arabic.