# Syriac: Resources for learning Syriac



## zaw

Hi,

Could somebody give me the name of a good textbook and dictionary for Syriac? If you could provide me with a list of resources for learning Syriac, that would be best.

Toda raba


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## Drink

Muraoka's _Classical Syriac: A Basic Grammar with a Chrestomathy_


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## Ali Smith

I haven't really used it much but Wheeler McIntosh Thackston's _Introduction to Syriac_ seems pretty decent. However, you should get Daniel M. Gurtner's _Introduction to Syriac Key to Exercises & English-Syriac Vocabulary_ along with it. By the way, the latter makes the following interesting observation on the first page of his key:

"As is the case with most students of Syriac, I learned this language almost entirely on my own."

So, I don't think there are many places where you can study Syriac; if you want to learn it you'll have to do it on your own.


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## fdb

Helen Younansardaroud "Classical Syriac Course Book" is actually very good (unlike Muraoka and Thakston). I think you can download it for free.


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## Drink

fdb said:


> Helen Younansardaroud "Classical Syriac Course Book" is actually very good (unlike Muraoka and Thakston). I think you can download it for free.



Just curious, I'd be interested to hear what you find better about it. I've only poked around a tiny bit in Muraoka.


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## Ali Smith

On second thought, Wheeler McIntosh Thackston's _Introduction to Syriac_ doesn't seem to be that good. For example, he translates pe'al ܣܠܩ סלק as 'he went forth, he went out', even though it means 'he went up'.

וְאַרְבַּ֤ע חֵיוָן֙ רַבְרְבָ֔ן סָלְקָ֖ן מִן־יַמָּ֑א שָׁנְיָ֖ן דָּ֥א מִן־דָּֽא׃
(דניאל ז ג)

יְדִ֙יעַ֙ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֣י יְהוּדָיֵ֗א דִּ֤י סְלִ֙קוּ֙ מִן־לְוָתָ֔ךְ עֲלֶ֥ינָא אֲת֖וֹ לִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם קִרְיְתָ֨א מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א וּבִֽאישְׁתָּא֙ בָּנַ֔יִן ושורי וְשׁוּרַיָּ֣א אשכללו שַׁכְלִ֔ילוּ וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א יַחִֽיטוּ׃
(עזרא ד יב)


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## Drink

Ali Smith said:


> On second thought, Wheeler McIntosh Thackston's _Introduction to Syriac_ doesn't seem to be that good. For example, he translates pe'al ܣܠܩ סלק as 'he went forth, he went out', even though it means 'he went up'.
> 
> וְאַרְבַּ֤ע חֵיוָן֙ רַבְרְבָ֔ן סָלְקָ֖ן מִן־יַמָּ֑א שָׁנְיָ֖ן דָּ֥א מִן־דָּֽא׃
> (דניאל ז ג)
> 
> יְדִ֙יעַ֙ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֣י יְהוּדָיֵ֗א דִּ֤י סְלִ֙קוּ֙ מִן־לְוָתָ֔ךְ עֲלֶ֥ינָא אֲת֖וֹ לִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם קִרְיְתָ֨א מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א וּבִֽאישְׁתָּא֙ בָּנַ֔יִן ושורי וְשׁוּרַיָּ֣א אשכללו שַׁכְלִ֔ילוּ וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א יַחִֽיטוּ׃
> (עזרא ד יב)


Firstly, you are greatly oversimplifying. Look at the entry for slq in CAL (Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon). It has a very wide range of meanings that includes all these things.

Secondly, Syriac is not the same as Biblical Aramaic. You can't use a Biblical Aramaic usage to prove how a word is used in Syriac.


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## Ali Smith

Thanks, but I don't see the meaning 'to go out/forth' anywhere on that website.


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## Drink

Ali Smith said:


> Thanks, but I don't see the meaning 'to go out/forth' anywhere on that website.


See definition 3, especially 3b.


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## radagasty

Ali Smith said:


> On second thought, Wheeler McIntosh Thackston's _Introduction to Syriac_ doesn't seem to be that good. For example, he translates pe'al ܣܠܩ סלק as 'he went forth, he went out', even though it means 'he went up'.



It can mean either, as Drink points out, so Thackston is not wrong _per se_, but ‘to go up’ is the more basic meaning of ܣܠܩ in Syriac, so, in the absence of context, it would have been preferable to give that as the definition.

One problem with Thackston, especially in the later lessons, is that the chapter vocabulary lists are keyed to the exercises, so he gives the gloss that suits the context of the exercise, even if that does not represent the most basic or most common meaning of the word.

And, very often, you can guess what the exercises are from the vocabulary list. For instance, among the nouns to be learnt in Lesson 18 are _virgin_, _marriage_, _bridegroom_, _bride_, _lamp_, _vessel_ and _oil_, from which you can easily surmise that the reading exercise will be the parable of the wise and foolish virgins from _Matt _25.


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## Ali Smith

You can find _Classical Syriac Course Book_ by Helen Younansardaroud, which was never published and is only available in PDF format, here: Semitic languages - Google Drive


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## Ali Smith

Here is Louis Costaz's Syriac dictionary:

Semitic languages - Google Drive


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## Ali Smith

And here's _A Compendious Syriac Dictionary_:

Semitic languages - Google Drive


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