Krimchak, a Jewish dialect of the Crimean Tatar language documented since the 13th century, faces the threat of extinction. This dictionary is the first to compile the lexicon of this dialect, offering translations into English and Russian. It includes approximately 5,000 Krimchak words, loanwords, and set expressions from both religious and secular contexts. The derivations are informed by works such as E. Sevortjan's Etimologicheskij slovar tjurkskix jazykov, E. Tryjarski's Dictionnaire Armeno-Kyptchak, and K. Grønbech's Codex Cumanicus. The dictionary contrasts the pre-modern stage of Krimchak with various modern Turkic languages and dialects, including Turkish, Nogay, Karaim, Tatar, and Mishar. It draws from a broad range of Krimchak texts, including sections of the Hebrew Bible, accounts of 20th-century Crimea, and educational materials for children, synthesizing vocabulary from sources in Hebrew, Russian, and Latin scripts. Loanword origins are specified, and all entries are transcribed using the Latin alphabet. This work serves both scientific and practical purposes, catering to specialists in Turkic philology, Jewish dialects, Biblical studies, and Russian and Ukrainian history, while also functioning as a reference for Krimchak speakers wishing to expand their vocabulary.
