Domari spoken by Dom communities across the wider Levant — the West Bank and Gaza beyond Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Documentation outside Jerusalem is uneven and largely lexical.
Jerusalem Domari
Also known as: Domari of Jerusalem, Nawari
The most thoroughly documented Domari variety, spoken by the Dom community of the Old City of Jerusalem. Severely endangered, with only a few hundred fluent speakers; the reference variety in Matras (2012), A Grammar of Domari.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Jerusalem Domari?
Jerusalem Domari is a dialect of the Domari language.
Where is Jerusalem Domari spoken?
Jerusalem Domari is primarily spoken in Palestine.
Which region is Jerusalem Domari associated with?
Jerusalem Domari is part of the Middle East region on DialectAtlas.
Is Jerusalem Domari known by other names?
Yes — Jerusalem Domari is also referred to as Domari of Jerusalem, Nawari.
Is Jerusalem Domari endangered?
Jerusalem Domari is severely endangered. It is largely spoken by older generations; parents may understand it but typically do not pass it on to their children.
What are the other dialects of Domari?
Domari also includes Levantine Domari, Turkish Domari, Egyptian & Sudanese Domari, Iranian Domari. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Domari dialects
See on the atlas →Abdal
Dom communities in Türkiye (also known locally as Dom or Abdal), concentrated in southeastern Anatolia, with significant contact influence from Turkish and Kurdish.
Ghagar · Halebi
Dom communities across Egypt and Sudan, sometimes grouped under broader regional labels. Linguistic documentation remains limited.
Dom communities in Iran, historically referred to by various local names. Academic documentation of their speech is sparse.
Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →54 km away
A Northwest Semitic language, revived from a primarily liturgical use into a full living language between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. Now the official language of Israel.
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Domari spoken by Dom communities across the wider Levant — the West Bank and Gaza beyond Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Documentation outside Jerusalem is uneven and largely lexical.
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Spoken across Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. Known for soft consonants and a shared cultural vocabulary.
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The Greek of Cyprus, distinct from Standard Modern Greek in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Preserves a number of medieval features.
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The Turkish of the northern half of Cyprus. Preserves Anatolian features lost in standard Turkish and shows long contact with Cypriot Greek.