The Syriac Language

The Syriac language is one of the eastern branches of the Aramaic language. It was originally the Aramaic language of Edessa and Nisibis and the regions surrounding them in Mesopotamia. This Aramaic language spread there and developed into what we know today as Classical (literary) Syriac.

This branch of Aramaic became distinct from other Aramaic dialects through certain linguistic features, such as the use of the letter nun at the beginning of future-tense verbs in the third person, for example saying “neqṭol” instead of “yeqṭol.” The letters of the Aramaic alphabet also developed in those regions and took on the Syriac script known as Estrangela.

From the middle of the fifth century CE, the name “Syriac” came to be applied to the Aramaic language of Edessa. From that time onward, Aramaic speakers began calling their language by the compound name “Syriac Aramaic.” This compound name continued in use throughout the Middle Ages, as can be seen in the writings of the early Syriac Church Fathers.

Over time, two linguistic traditions developed in Syriac, both in pronunciation and writing: the western Edessan tradition, used by Western Syriacs, and the eastern Nisibene tradition, used by Eastern Syriacs. Those who follow the western tradition belong to the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, and the Maronite Church. The eastern tradition, on the other hand, is used by Syriacs belonging to the Chaldean Church and by Syriacs of the Nestorian Church, who adopted the name “Assyrians” for themselves about a century ago or more. Members of the Syriac Orthodox Church tend to use Classical Syriac more extensively than other Syriac denominations.

The Syriac language is, in essence, a living continuation of the Aramaic language and a bearer of its Aramaic heritage and identity. With the passage of time, this language flourished, and many Syriac works were written in it—surpassing in both quantity and quality the writings produced in other branches of Aramaic. During the Middle Ages, Syriac became a widely used international language across large regions.

In the first half of the twentieth century, Syriac experienced a notable cultural revival. Syriac writers and intellectuals produced books and articles of a very high standard. However, Arab and Turkish nationalist movements suppressed this Syriac cultural revival in the second half of the twentieth century, and since then the Syriac language has gradually declined. Nevertheless, awareness of Syriac language issues has grown among Syriacs in recent years.

We hope that the states and authorities governing the historical homelands of the Syriac language will take serious steps to preserve this language and elevate its status so that it may become a second official language in those countries, thereby ensuring its survival and continuation into the future.