NeoAramaic

Neo-Aramaic refers to the living varieties of the Aramaic language that are spoken today by communities descended from the ancient Aramaeans, most notably the Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac communities. These languages emerged from Late Old Aramaic and Middle Aramaic into distinct modern forms, and they are separate from the classical and liturgical varieties still used in religious contexts. Neo-Aramaic languages are used in everyday speech, education, media, and some religious settings.

The principal modern branches are Eastern Neo-Aramaic and Western Neo-Aramaic. Eastern Neo-Aramaic includes Assyrian Neo-Aramaic and Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, spoken across Iraq, Iran, Syria, Turkey, and in diaspora communities in Europe and North America. Western Neo-Aramaic comprises a few small communities in Syria, such as in Maʿlūlā and neighboring areas, and is highly endangered. The term Suret (or Syriac) is often used by speakers to refer to their Eastern Neo-Aramaic varieties, though usage varies by community.

Writing systems for Neo-Aramaic are typically based on the Syriac script (Estrangela, Serto, or the Eastern variants), but in the diaspora, especially with younger speakers, Latin scripts or other scripts are sometimes used for convenience. In some cases, local languages influence vocabulary, yielding loanwords from Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, Persian, and other languages.

Status and use vary by dialect. Some Eastern Neo-Aramaic languages have substantial speaker bases in the diaspora and are taught in community schools, media, and literature, while Western Neo-Aramaic remains highly endangered in the homeland. Together, Neo-Aramaic varieties maintain cultural identity for many communities through media, literature, music, and daily communication.