Script Choice in Yazidi Religious Texts versus Secular English Publications

This encyclopedia entry surveys the scholarly literature on the scripts employed for Yazidi religious literature and for secular Yazidi publications in English, highlighting historical development, linguistic considerations, and contemporary debates.

Script choice (Kurmanji: nivîskarî) refers to the selection of a writing system—Arabic, Latin (Kurmanji), Cyrillic, or English—for rendering Yazidi texts, whether sacred qawl‑ū‑bayt or modern community literature.

Pronunciation & orthography

The term is spelled nivîskarî in the Latin‑based Kurmanji alphabet, نڤیسکاری in Arabic script, and нѝвискарӣ in Cyrillic used by Soviet‑era Yazidis. The IPA transcription is /niˈviːskarɯ/. Common English misspellings include “nivikari” and “niviskari”.

Main exposition

Historical background

Yazidi religious lore was transmitted orally for centuries. The first attempts to fix the qawl‑ū‑bayt in writing used the Arabic script, reflecting the broader Islamic milieu of the region (Arakelova 2023). With the spread of Kurdish nationalism and the adoption of a Latin‑based Kurdish alphabet in the 1930s, Yazidi scholars began to transcribe sacred verses in Latin script, especially in diaspora communities (Omarkhali 2017).

Arabic script for sacred texts

Arabic script remains the default for handwritten religious manuscripts because it preserves the historic aesthetic of the qewl and beyit, and because many Yazidi clerics (the sheikhs) were educated in madrasas where Arabic literacy was the norm (Arakelova 2023). The script also allows the inclusion of Arabic‑derived religious terminology inherited from Sufism.

Latin (Kurmanji) script for community literature

In the late 20th century, Kurdish‑language activists introduced a standardized Latin orthography for Kurmanji, which quickly became the script of choice for newspapers, educational material, and diaspora publications (Omarkhali 2017). This shift facilitated literacy among younger Yazidis who attended secular schools where Latin Kurdish is taught.

Cyrillic script in the Soviet Caucasus

Yazidis who migrated to the former Soviet Union adopted Cyrillic for both religious and secular writing, as mandated by Soviet language policy (Omarkhali 2017). Cyrillic versions of the qawl‑ū‑bayt were produced for use in cultural clubs and for preservation in Soviet archives.

English script for secular publications

Since the 1990s, English has become the primary script for academic monographs, diaspora newsletters, and digital media targeting a global audience. English publications deliberately avoid Arabic or Cyrillic scripts to increase accessibility for non‑Kurmanji‑speaking scholars and to position Yazidi studies within mainstream academia (Allison 1998).

“The movement from spoken word to written scripture has been accompanied by a parallel shift from Arabic to Latin and finally to English scripts, each reflecting a different sociopolitical horizon.” (Allison 1998)

In the oral tradition

The oral corpus, known as qawl‑ū‑bayt, consists of concise poetic verses (qewl) and longer lyrical passages (beyt). These are memorized and recited in ritual settings, often accompanied by the tembûr. While the oral form is script‑agnostic, the act of transcription historically required a script that could capture the rhythmic and phonetic nuances of Kurmanji. The earliest written qewl were recorded on palm‑leaf manuscripts using Arabic script, preserving the original melismatic cadence (Arakelova 2023).

“When a qewl is written, the scribe must choose a script that does not disturb the melodic flow; Arabic script historically fulfilled this role.” (Arakelova 2023)

Scholarly disagreement

Kreyenbroek argues that the persistence of Arabic script for sacred texts is primarily theological, asserting that the script itself carries a sanctified aura inherited from early Islamic mysticism (Kreyenbroek 2005). In contrast, Açıkyıldız reads the script shift as a political act, emphasizing that the adoption of Latin and English scripts signals a deliberate distancing from Arab‑Islamic identity and an assertion of Kurdish nationalism (Açıkyıldız 2012).

Common misconceptions

Regional variation

In the Sinjar region of Iraq, Arabic script remains dominant for religious manuals, whereas local NGOs publish health brochures in Latin Kurmanji. In Sheikhan, a mixed script environment exists: older clerics use Arabic, younger teachers prefer Latin. Syrian Yazidis, many of whom fled to Turkey, often rely on Cyrillic manuscripts preserved in Soviet archives. In the diaspora (Germany, Sweden, the United States), English and Latin scripts are the norm for both religious instruction and community news.

Timeline

Data table

These figures illustrate the predominance of Latin script for contemporary secular output, while Arabic retains its privileged status for canonical religious material.