Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) developed among Sephardic Jews after their expulsion from Spain and Portugal in the late 15th century; today it is a severely endangered language.
In Słowa gasnącego języka. Współczesna poezja ladino (Words of the Extinguished Language. On Contemporary Ladino Poetry), Agnieszka August-Zarębska offers the first comprehensive study in Poland – and one of the few internationally – focused on contemporary Ladino poetry. Addressing the urgent issue of language loss and revitalisation, the book combines literary analysis with cultural insight into Sephardic heritage. Its originality lies in examining modern poetic expression in a vanishing language and in presenting previously unavailable Ladino texts to Polish readers.
Agnieszka August-Zarębska is a literary scholar of Spanish at the University of Wrocław, as well as a poet, whose expertise significantly enriches her interpretations and translations.