Language

Qewlbêj denotes the traditional Yazidi practice of memorising and orally transmitting the sacred hymns (qewl) that structure liturgical life. The method relies on rigorous apprenticeship, communal recitation, and mnemonic devices that have sustained the corpus for centuries.

Yazidi oral tradition, comprising qewl, beyts, and other poetic forms, is recognised by scholars as an endangered repertoire facing rapid erosion. The digital platform Yazidis.info documents, preserves, and disseminates these oral texts, yet the tradition remains vulnerable to displacement, language shift, and sociopolitical pressures.

This entry presents a scholarly glossary of the most frequently encountered Yazidi religious terms in Kurmanji, drawing on primary liturgical texts and peer‑reviewed research. It explains pronunciation, orthography, oral usage, and regional variation, while addressing common misconceptions and scholarly debates.

Writing Kurmanji employs three major script systems—Latin, Arabic, and Cyrillic—each adapted to the linguistic needs of Yazidi communities across the Middle East and diaspora. Yazidis.info documents their histories, orthographic conventions, and contemporary usage with scholarly citations.

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.