This volume offers the first comprehensive study on the history of Middle Western Karaim dialects. The author provides a systematic description of sound changes dating from the 17th–19th-centuries and reconstructs their absolute- and relative chronologies. In addition, the main morphological peculiarities are presented in juxtaposition to Modern Western Karaim data. The textual basis for this historical-linguistic investigation is a critical edition of pre-1800 Western Karaim interpretations of Hebrew religious songs called piyyutim (149 texts altogether). The reason behind this choice is that some of these texts are among the oldest known Western Karaim texts in general, and that until now no study has brought the Karaim translation tradition in this genre closer to the reader.

This volume offers the critical edition and an English translation of the oldest translation of the Pentateuch into Western Karaim copied in 1720 by Simcha ben Chananel (died 1723). The manuscript was compared against several other Karaim translations of the Torah as well as with the standard text of the Hebrew Bible. The author provides a description of the manuscript’s language and an outline of the history of Western Karaim translations of the Torah to better understand the its philological and historical background.

"This volume offers the critical edition and an English translation of the oldest translation of the Pentateuch into Western Karaim copied in 1720 by Simcha ben Chananel (died 1723). The manuscript was compared against several other Karaim translations of the Torah as well as with the standard text of the Hebrew Bible. The author provides a description of the manuscript's language and an outline of the history of Western Karaim translations of the Torah to better understand the its philological and historical background"--

Karaism is a Jewish religious movement of a scripturalist and messianic nature, which emerged in the Middle Ages in the areas of Persia-Iraq and Palestine and has maintained its unique and varied forms of identity and existence until the present day, undergoing resurgent cycles of creativity, within its major geographical centres of the Middle-East, Byzantium-Turkey, the Crimea and Eastern Europe. This Guide to Karaite Studies contains thirty-seven chapters which cover all the main areas of medieval and modern Karaite history and literature, including geographical and chronological subdivisions, and special sections devoted to the history of research, manuscripts and printing, as well as detailed bibliographies, index and illustrations. The substantial volume reflects the current state of scholarship in this rapidly growing sub-field of Jewish Studies, as analysed by an international team of experts and taught in various universities throughout Europe, Israel and the United States.

This volume is a tribute to Professor Vovin’s research and a summary of the latest developments in his fields of expertise.

TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks as well as studies that provide new insights by building bridges to neighbouring fields such as neuroscience and cognitive science. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing.