Western Neo-Aramaic

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A language of Syria

ISO 639-3
amw
Alternate Names
Loghtha Siryanoytha, Maalula, Neo-Western Aramaic, Siryon
Population

15,000 (1996). 8,000 in Maaloula.

Location

Rif Dimashq Governorate, Al-Qutayfah district; Qalamoun mountains, 50 km north of Damascus, Ma’lula, Bakh’a, and Jubb ’Adin villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Western
Dialects

Bakh’a (Bax’a), Jub-’adin (Jubb ’Adi:n), Ma’lula (Maaloula, Maalula, Ma’lu:la). Little dialect variation.

Language Use

Home, and as literary and religious language. Also use North Levantine Spoken Arabic [apc].

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Western Neo-Aramaic
Writing

Unwritten [Qaax], efforts to introduce a writing system with old Aramaic characters and with Hebrew were not successful.

Other Comments

Christian.