TheNeo-Aramaic orModern Aramaic languages arevarieties ofAramaic that evolved during thelate medieval andearly modern periods, and continue to the present day asvernacular (spoken) languages of modern Aramaic-speaking communities.[1] Within the field ofAramaic studies,[2] classification of Neo-Aramaic languages has been a subject of particular interest among scholars, who proposed several divisions, into two (western and eastern), three (western, central and eastern) or four (western, central, northeastern and southeastern) primary groups.[3][4]
Christian Neo-Aramaic languages have long co-existed withClassical Syriac as a literary and liturgical language ofSyriac Christianity.[6] Since Classical Syriac and similararchaic forms, likeTargumic Aramaic (old Judeo-Aramaic variety) andClassical Mandaic, are no longer vernacular, they are not classified asNeo-Aramaic languages. However, the classical languages continue to have influence over the colloquial Neo-Aramaic languages.
Aramaic had become the lingua franca of theNeo-Assyrian Empire from the 8th century BC, and was retained by the followingNeo-Babylonian Empire andAchaemenid Empires, gradually displacing the hitherto dominantAkkadian language of the Assyrians and Babylonians. During theLate Antiquity, and throughout theMiddle Ages, the linguistic development of the Aramaic language was marked by the coexistence of literary and vernacular forms, those of Assyria and Babylonia retaining an Akkadian grammatical influence. A dominant literary form among Aramaic-speaking Christians wasEdessan Aramaic (Urhaya) evolving in the Neo-Assyrian kingdom ofOsroene, which came to be known asClassical Syriac (a term coined by western scholars). At the same time, Aramaic-speakingJews had their own literary languages (Judeo-Aramaic languages). Along with dominant literary forms, variousvernacular forms were also spoken, with distinctive regional variations. By thelate medieval period, literary forms used by Aramaic-speaking Christians were confided mainly to the religious sphere of life (liturgical use), while vernacular forms continued to develop into theearly modern period. Gradually, some of those Neo-Aramaic vernacular forms also started to be used for literary purposes.[11]
During the 19th century, systematic studies of Neo-Aramaic languages were initiated for the first time,[12] and by the beginning of the 20th century some Neo-Aramaic varieties already entered into the modern phase of their linguistic development, marked by the appearance of various Neo-Aramaic publications, and also by the establishment of modern schools and other institutions.
That development was severely interrupted by the breakout of theFirst World War (1914–1918) and the atrocities committed against Aramaic-speaking communities during theSeyfo (Assyrian genocide). The displacement of many Assyrian communities from their native regions disrupted both the four millenia long geographical and historicalAssyrian continuity and the linguistic continuum, and also created new groups of Neo-Aramaic speakers throughout thediaspora. Those events had a profound impact on further development of Neo-Aramaic communities, affecting all spheres of life, including various cultural issues related to their language.[12]
Red markers represent Christian Neo-Aramaic varieties while blue representsJewish ones and purple represents both spoken in the same town.
Throughout the history ofAramaic language, a dialectal boundary dividing western and eastern varieties has existed, running transversely across theSyrian Desert from southeast to northwest.[13]
The other Neo-Aramaic languages are all eastern varieties, mostly spoken by ethnicAssyrian people, but with little homogeneity. Most distinct in this group isModern Mandaic, which has low intelligibility with other varieties. It is the direct descendant ofClassical Mandaic, which traces its roots back to thePersian-influenced Aramaic of theArsacid Empire. Modern Mandaic is spoken fluently by no more than about a few thousand people.
The number of modern speakers of Neo-Aramaic languages is estimated from approximately 575,000 to 1,000,000, the vast majority of whom areAssyrian people. The largest of subgroups of speakers areAssyrian Neo-Aramaic with approximately 500,000 speakers,Chaldean Neo-Aramaic with approximately 240,000 speakers,Turoyo (Surayt) with approximately 100,000 speakers and a few thousand speakers of other Neo-Aramaic languages (i.e.Modern Judeo-Aramaic varieties andBohtan Neo-Aramaic, among others), which give a total of over 870,000 fluent Neo-Aramaic speakers, although a larger number have sone knowledge of the language, but lack fluency .[15][16][17]
^“…Maaloula Syriacs have maintained their Syriac identity since ancient times, and there is ample evidence of their Syriac heritage, especially in Maaloula, Ain Tineh, Bakhah, and Jubaadin…“, translated quote from the book إلياس أنطون نصر الله في معلولا, p. 45
Arnold, Werner (2012)."Western Neo-Aramaic".The Semitic Languages: An International Handbook. Berlin-Boston: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 685–696.ISBN9783110251586.
Häberl, Charles G. (2012)."Neo-Mandaic".The Semitic Languages: An International Handbook. Berlin-Boston: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 725–737.ISBN9783110251586.
Jastrow, Otto (2012)."Ṭuroyo and Mlaḥsô".The Semitic Languages: An International Handbook. Berlin-Boston: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 697–707.ISBN9783110251586.
Tezel, Sina (2015)."Arabic or Ṣūrayt/Ṭūrōyo".Arabic and Semitic Linguistics Contextualized: A Festschrift for Jan Retsö. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. pp. 554–568.
Tezel, Sina (2015)."Neologisms in Ṣūrayt/Ṭūrōyo".Neo-Aramaic in Its Linguistic Context. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press. pp. 100–109.
Waltisberg, Michael (2016).Syntax des Ṭuroyo (= Semitica Viva 55). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag.ISBN978-3-447-10731-0.
