Ostaramäische

Ostaramäische, or East Aramaic, is a branch of the Aramaic language family that developed in the eastern regions of the Aramaic-speaking world, notably Mesopotamia and parts of the Iranian plateau. It is distinguished from Western Aramaic by features of its phonology, morphology, and lexicon, though both groups share a common origin in Aramaic.

The best-known East Aramaic languages today are Assyrian Neo-Aramaic (often called Suret) and Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, spoken by Assyrian and Chaldean communities in Iraq, Iran, Syria, and in diaspora communities across Europe and North America. East Aramaic also comprises a range of smaller varieties, many with limited speaker populations, and is often likened to Northeastern Aramaic in contemporary classifications. Mandaic is sometimes treated as a distinct branch within East Aramaic and remains both a liturgical language and a spoken medium for the Mandaean community in parts of Iran, Iraq, and their diaspora.

Writing and usage: East Aramaic languages typically use the Syriac script, adapted to their specific phonologies, though diaspora communities may employ other scripts in informal or pedagogical contexts. The languages have a long literary tradition, including Christian religious texts in Syriac and, in modern times, a growing body of secular literature, media, and education materials.

Status and transmission: East Aramaic languages are endangered to varying degrees, with many communities shifting to dominant regional languages. Assyrian and Chaldean Neo-Aramaic maintain active use within families, churches, media, and education, particularly in diaspora networks, while smaller varieties face continued endangerment.