Syriac language

Syriac
ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ Leššānā Suryāyā
Leššānā Suryāyā in written Syriac (Esṭrangelā script)
Pronunciationlɛʃʃɑːnɑː surjɑːjɑː
RegionUpper Mesopotamia, Eastern Arabia
Era1st century AD until ~ 14th century; Developed into Northeastern Neo-Aramaic and Central Neo-Aramaic languages after the 12th century.
Afroasiatic
  • Semitic
    • Central Semitic
      • Northwest Semitic
        • Aramaic
          • Eastern Aramaic
            • Syriac
Early form
Old Syriac
Syriac abjad
Language codes
ISO 639-2syc Classical Syriac
ISO 639-3syc Classical Syriac
Glottologclas1252
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Syriac Aramaic alphabet
An 11th century Syriac manuscript.

The Syriac language (Classical Syriac: ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ, romanized: Leššānā Suryāyā) is Middle Aramaic language. It was spoken long ago in the Fertile Crescent. In the West Syriac tradition, it is known as Kṯobōnōyō (Classical Syriac: ܟܬ̥ܳܒܳܢܳܝܳܐ), while in the East Syriac tradition, it is known as Leššānā 'atīqā or saprāyā. Academically, it is known as Classical Syriac to differentiate it from other Aramaic dialects known as Syriac.

References

  1. ↑ Angold 2006, pp. 391
  2. 1 2
    • Polonsky, HJ (1961). "Studies in modern Syriac" (PDF). Journal of Semitic Studies. Retrieved May 4, 2025. [permanent dead link]
    • Thompson, Damian; Nazir-Ali, Michael (January 31, 2025). "Are Syrian Christians who speak the language of Jesus about to disappear after 2,000 years?". The Spectator. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
    • "Syria's Islamist Government Claims Assyrian is an Arabic Language". Assyrian International News Agency (AINA). April 9, 2025. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ SyriacPress (2022-02-27). "About the origin of the Lebanese language (I)". Syriac Press. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  4. ↑ Talay, Shabo (2009). "Die neuaramäischen Dialekte der Khabur-Assyrer in Nordostsyrien: Einführung, Phonologie und Morphologie Neuaramäische Texte in den Dialekten der Khabur-Assyrer in Nordostsyrien". Aramaic Studies. 7 (2): 208–212. doi:10.1163/147783509x12627760049994. ISSN 1477-8351.