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.[1]
Afro-Asiatic
  • 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

The Syriac language (Classical Syriac: ܠܫܢܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ, romanized: Leššānā Suryāyā) is an Eastern Aramaic language.[2] It was spoken long ago in the Fertile Crescent.[2] In the West Syriac tradition, it is known as Leššōnō kṯoḇonōyō,[3] while in the East Syriac tradition, it is known as Leššānā ʔatīqā or Leššānā saprāyā.[4]

References

  1. Angold 2006, pp. 391
  2. 2.0 2.1
    • Polonsky, HJ (1961). "Studies in modern Syriac" (PDF). Journal of Semitic Studies. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
    • 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.