The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.
SIL code: CLD
ISO 639-2: sem
| Population | 100,000 to 120,000 in Iraq (1994). Population total all countries 200,000 (1994 H. Mutzafi). |
| Region | Originally in central western and northern Iraqi Kurdistan and some in bordering Turkey. Now in Mosul, Baghdad, Basrah, southeastern Iraqi Kurdistan. Also spoken in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Lebanon, Netherlands, Sweden, Syria, Turkey (Asia), USA. |
| Alternate names | CHALDEAN, KILDANI, KALDAYA, NEO-CHALDEAN, MODERN CHALDEAN, SURETH, LISHANA KALDAYA, FELLIHI, FALLANI |
| Dialects | MANGESH, ALQOSH, TEL KEPE, TISQOPA, BARTILLE, SHIRNAK-CHIZRE (BOHTAN), ARADHIN, DIHOK. |
| Classification | Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern. |
| Comments | High intelligibility with Lishana Deni and Ashirat (western dialect group of Assyrian Neo-Aramaic); low to none with other Northeastern Aramaic varieties. Comprehension among all of these improves with contact. The ethnic group is distinct denominationally from speakers of other Northeastern Aramaic varieties; separated from the Assyrian during the 16th century. The names 'Chaldean' and 'Assyrian' are sometimes each used in a popular sense to include both groups. Syriac script used. Christian (Chaldean, Uniate Catholic, Syrian Orthodox). Bible portions 1992. |
