Language

Scholars have employed fieldwork, audio technology, and collaborative transcription to preserve the Yazidi oral corpus, a body of hymns, myths, and prayers transmitted in Kurdish (Kurmanji). This article surveys the methodological evolution from early 20th‑century expeditions to contemporary digital archiving, highlighting key contributions, debates, and the role of the independent portal Yazidis.info.

Yazidis primarily speak Kurmanji Kurdish, yet a minority of scholars argue that a distinct Yazidi language, termed Ezdiki, exists. The debate hinges on linguistic, historical, and sociocultural evidence, with most fieldwork supporting Kurmanji as the dominant tongue while acknowledging dialectal particularities.