Alap Beth: An Introduction To Modern Sureth (Syriac) – Eastern Dialect – 7th Edition

Description

Notice to the Readers

ܒܫܝܢܐ B’shayna! Welcome to Modern Sureth (Syriac) Language (referred to as Syriac academically), which is also known as Sureth ܐ̄ܣܘܪܬ, Swādāyā ܣܘܝܕܝܐ, Chaldean language ܠܫܢܐ ܟܠܕܝܐ, or Assyrian language ܠܫܢܐ ܐܬܘܪܝܐ. The grammar presented in this book represents the fundamentals of the Syriac language, assisting readers in learning how to pronounce Syriac sounds, build vocabulary, grasp simple grammar, and gain an understanding of Syriac culture.

The language presented in this book is the most spoken dialect among Sureth (Syriac) people, known as the “Dashta D’Ninweh” – ܕܫܬܐ ܕܢܝܢܘܐ (The Nineveh Plain) dialect.

The book is structured into distinct chapters, each addressing specific aspects of language learning:

1. Letters and Vowels:
   • Emphasizing reading, writing, and pronunciation.
2. Grammar:
   • Progressing gradually from fundamental concepts to more intricate and advanced topics:
     • Exploring prepositions, plurals, masculine, and feminine forms.
     • Covering numbers, time, months, and dates.
     • Examining nouns, including the application of gender and numbers.
     • Delving into adjectives and adverbs.
     • Understanding verbs and their conjugations across various tenses.
3. Reading and Conversations.
4. Vocabulary:
   • Integrating vocabulary building throughout all chapters.
5. Exercises.
   • Providing practical exercises for application and reinforcement.

We recognize that some readers may desire more advanced material, while others may prefer a more basic course in the Syriac language. However, we have endeavored to provide a well-rounded foundation for our readers. It is worth noting that many individuals who study Syriac do so in preparation for pastoral or deacon roles in the church. Therefore, Chapters 4 and 7 (which focus on grammar) and Chapter 8 (which covers verbs) as well as Appendices C, D, E, and F are particularly useful for pastoral students seeking a deeper understanding of the language.

 

In addition, this book is also intended for those who have never had the opportunity to learn Syriac, especially Syriac people living outside of their native land. Overall, the design of this grammar reflects the needs of both its primary audience and its basic structure.

 

What is New in this Edition?

• In this edition, we have chosen to use the original name of the Syriac language in its own tongue: Sureth. As a result, the term “Syriac” is being replaced with “Sureth.” We believe it is more appropriate to refer to the language by its native name and aim to encourage others to recognize and adopt its original designation.
• In this edition, we’ve included step-by-step arrow guides for writing each letter, making it easier for readers to learn and practice writing them independently.
• The latest edition comes with several improvements aimed at making your learning experience even better. We’ve carefully organized the topics to make it easier for you to grasp the language, and we’ve increased the font size of Sureth letters and words for better readability.
• In Chapter 8, you’ll find a more extensive coverage of nouns and verbs, providing a comprehensive understanding.
• Additionally, we have incorporated the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) representations for each Sureth letter and vowel, facilitating easier pronunciation and recognition for all individuals.

 

To support learners, we’ve provided audio and video recordings for chapters 2 through 6 from previous editions. These resources are designed to help with proper pronunciation and make it easier to follow the text. If you’d like to access these recordings or have any questions or feedback, visit our website at www.sureth.org or search for the Sureth Studies account on YouTube.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1

• The History of The Aramaic and Sureth Languages
• The Aramaic Language History
• The Sureth Language History

Chapter 2: Introduction and The Basic Information

• Syriac Language Dialects
  • The Eastern Dialect
  • The Western Dialect
  • The Sureth Translation
• Sureth Scripts
  • Esṭrangelā ܐܣܛܪܢܓܠܐ
  • Serṭā ܣܪܛܐ
  • Garshouni ܓܪܫܘܢܝ
• The Eastern Alphabet ܐܬܘܬ̈ܐ ܡܕܚܝ̈ܐ
  • Final Form
  • The Special Form of ܬ (Taw)
  • Un-Joined Letters
  • Numerical Values
  • The Eastern Sureth Seven Vowels ܙܘܥ̈ܐ
    • Sqapa [sqaːpə] ܙܩܵܦܵܐ
    • Pthaha [pθaxa] ܦܬܼܵܚܵܐ
    • Zlama Psheeqa [zlaːma pʃi:qa] ܙܠܵܡܵܐ ܦܫܝܼܩܵܐ
    • Zlama Qishya [zlaːma qəʃja] ܙܠܵܡܵܐ ܩܸܫܝܵܐ
    • Rwahha [rwaːxa] ܪܘܵܚܵܐ ܘܿ
    • Rwassa [rwaːs̞a] ܪܒܼܵܨܵܐ ܘܼ
    • Hwassa [xwaːs̞a] ܚܒܼܵܨܵܐ ܝܼ
  • Syllabification and Pronunciation ܪܬܡܐ
• Western Letters: ܐܬܘܬـܐ ܡܥܪ̈ܒܝܐ (ܣܝܼܪܬܘܼ)
• Western Vowels
• Characters Key

Chapter 3: The Eastern Sureth Alphabet ܐܬܘܬ̈ܐ ܕܠܫܢܐ ܐ̄ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ـ ܠܥܙܐ ܡܕܢܚܝܐ 19

• The First Group – ܐܒܓܕ
  • Alap
    How to Write Alap
  • Beth
    How to Write Beth
  • Gamal
    How to Write Gamal
  • Dalath
    How to Write Dalath
• The Second Group ܗܘܙ
  • Heh
    How to Write Heh
  • Wow
    How to Write Wow
  • Zain
    How to Write Zain
• The Third Group ܚܛܝ
  • Heth
    How to Write Heth
  • Teth
    How to Write Teth
  • Yod
    How to Write Yod
• The Fourth Group ܟܠܡܢ
  • Kap
    How to Write Kap
  • Lamath
    How to Write Lamath
  • Meem
    How to Write Meem
  • Noon
    How to Write Noon
• The Fifth Group ܣܥܦܨ
  • Simkath
    How to Write Simkath
  • Aeh
    How to Write Aeh
  • Peh
    How to Write Peh
  • Sade
    How to Write Sade
• The Sixth Group ܩܪܫܬ
  • Qop
    How to Write Qop
  • Resh
    How to Write Resh
  • Sheen
    How to Write Sheen
  • Taw
    How to Write Taw

Chapter 4: The Basic Grammar ܬܘܪܨ ܡܡܠܠܐ ܦܫܝܛܐ

• The Soft and Hard Letters ܐܬܘܬـܐ ܪ̈ܟܝܟܐ ܘܐܬܘܬܐ ܩܫܝ̄ܐ
• The Sounds of the Letter ܚ In The Spoken Language
• The Prepositions in Sureth
• The Feminine and Masculine Forms ܕܟܪܢܝܐ: ܢܩܒܬܢܝܐ
• The Plural Form ܣܝܡ̈ܐ
• The Third Person Auxiliary verbs (is and are)
• The Question Words in Sureth– ܒܘܩܪ̈ܐ

Chapter 5: Days, Months, Horoscopes, Colors, Weather, Directions

• Horoscope ܡܠܘܫ̈ܐ or ܒܘܼܪ̈ܓܐ
• The Seasons ܫܘܚܠܦ̈ܐ
• Water Status Stage ܫܚ̇ܢܘܬܐ ܕܡܝܐ
• Weather Status ܫܚ̇ܢܘܬܐ ܕܦܘܚܐ
• The Stages Of Human Life ܡܫܩܠ̈ܐ ܕܚܝ̈ܐ ܕܒܪܢܫܐ
• The Colors ܓܘܢ̈ܐ
• The Directions ܨܘܒ̈ܐ
• Asking for Directions

Chapter 6: Numbers and Time – ܡܢܝܢ̈ܐ ܘܥܕܢܐ

• The Names of Number in Sureth
  • Cardinal Numbers: 1 to 10
  • Numbers 11 to 19
  • Counting By Tens (20 to 90)
  • Compound Numbers: 21 to 99
  • Hundreds ܐܡ̈ܐ How to read Three-Digit?
  • Thousands: ܐܠܦ̈ܐ How to read Thousands and Beyond?
  • Ordinal Numbers ܣܕܪܢܝܐ Using Regular Numbers For Ordinal Numbers
  • Fractions ܬܒܪ̈ܐ
  • Percentages
  • Reading Sums of Money
  • Pronouncing Measurements
• The Numeric Value Of The Letter
  • The Numeric Values from 11 -99
  • The Numeric Values from 101 to 499
  • Numeric Values 500 and Beyond
  • The Thousands’ Numeric Values
  • Reading and Writing Bible’s Verses
  • Pronouncing Years
  • Pronouncing Centuries
    • Using Regular Numbers
    • Using Ordinal Numbers
• The Times ܙܘܢ̈ܐ
  • Parts of the Day: ܥܕܢ̈ܐ ܕܝܘܡܐ
  • Hour/Watch ܫܥ̱ܬܐ
  • The Days ܝܘ̈ܡܬܐ ܕܫܒܬܐ
  • The Months ܝܪ̈ܚܐ
  • Pronouncing Date
  • Pronouncing Full Date (Month, Day, Year)

Chapter 7: The Grammar ܬܘܪܨ ܡܡܠܠܐ

• The Subject Pronoun ܚܠܦܫܡ̈ܐ
• The Syriac Nouns ܫܡ̈ܐ
• Proper Noun ܫܸܡܵܐ ܩܢܘܿܡܵܝܵܐ
  • Persons
  • Places
  • Things
• Common Noun ܫܸܡܵܐ ܓܵܘܵܢܵܝܵܐ
• Collective Noun ܫܸܡܵܐ ܓܢܘܼܫܝܵܝܵܐ
• Pronominal Prefixes and Suffixes
• Possessive Forms of Nouns
• Adjective Possessive (Suffixes) ܚܠܵܦ ܫܡܵܐ ܣܒܼܝܼܣܵܐ
• Absolute Possessive
• Reflexive pronoun
• The Adjectives ܫܘܡܗ̈ܐ
• Common Adjective Suffixes in Sureth
• Determiners in Sureth
  • Articles
  • Demonstratives
  • Adverb ܥܲܠܡܸܠܬܼܵܐ
  • Demonstrative with singular/plural nouns
• The Conjunctions ܐܣܪ̈ܐ
  • And ܘ
  • Or ܝܲܢ
  • But ܒܲܣ -ܒܲܠܵܟܸܢ
  • Because ܡܒܹ̇ܝܕ
• Comparative ܒܸܫ
• Every/Each ܟܘܿܕ
• Pair and Couple
• The Question Words in Syriac – ܒܘܩܪ̈ܐ

Chapter 8: The Verbs ܡܠܬܐ

• The Simple Present Verb ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܩܵܐܹܡ ܦܫܝܼܛܵܐ
• Always Simple Present Verb + ܗܲܪ
• The Present Continuous Verb ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܩܵܐܹܡ ܣܘܼܥܪܵܢܵܝܵܐ
• The Simple Past Verb ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܲܥܒܲܪ ܦܫܝܼܛܵܐ
• The Past Continuous ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܲܥܒܲܪ ܣܘܼܥܪܵܢܵܝܵܐ
• The Past Perfect Continuous ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܲܥܒܲܪ ܓܡܝܼܪܵܐ
• The Present Perfect Verb ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܩܵܐܹܡ ܓܡܝܼܪܵܐ
• The Simple Future Verb ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܲܥܬܼܝܼܖ ܦܫܝܼܛܵܐ
• Future Perfect Tense ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܕܲܥܬܼܝܼܖ ܓܡܝܼܪܵܐ
• The – Used to – Verb
• The Imperative Form ܙܲܒܼܢܵܐ ܦܵܩܘܿܕܵܐ
• The Auxiliary Verbs
• The Verb “To Have: has, have, had, having, will have” – ܐܝܼܬ̇
• Subject-Verb Agreement
  • There is/are: ܐܝܼܬܼ
  • There was/were: ܐܝܼܬܼܘܵܗ̄ܐ
  • There will be. ܒܸܕ ܗܵܘܹܐ
• There is going to be. ܙܝܼܠ ܗܵܘܹܐ
• The Permission Verb – Let ܫܒܼܘܿܩ
  • Seeking Permission
• The Modal Verbs
  • The Verbs (Have to, Need) ܣܢܝܼܩܵܐ
  • Should Verb + ܬܵܐ + ܠܵܙܹܡ
  • Can/ be able to (Suffix + ܐܝܼܬܼ̄ܒܸ̇ܐ)
  • Could Suffix + ܒܗܵܘܸܒܸ̇ܐ
  • May (have) and Might (have) – Perhaps ܓܒܲܪܸܐ
• The Conditional
  • IF ܐܸܢ
  • Unless/If not ܐܸܢ ܠܵܐ (ܐܸܢ̄ܠܵܐ)
  • In Case ܕܠܵܐ
• Function of Nouns and Verbs
  • As subjects of sentences
  • As direct objects of sentences
  • As indirect objects of sentences
  • As objects of prepositions in sentences

Chapter 9: The Conversations ܡܚܟܝ̈ܬܐ

• Daily Statements ܦܬܓܡ̈ܐ ܟܘܕ ܝܘܡܐ
• Conversations
• Greetings ܫܠܡ̈ܐ
• These and Those Conversation
• This and That Conversation
• Sweet and sour Conversation
• They and Are They Conversation
• Few, Little, and Lots Conversations
• Introducing People
• Classroom ܨܦܐ
• Classroom Vocabulary: ܣܕܪܐ
• Shopping at the Supermarket ܫܘܩܐ
• Traditional Marriage ܓܘܪܐ ܕܡܬܘܬ̈ܐ
• A New Couple And a Priest ܛܠܝܒ̈ܐ ܘܩܫܐ
• At The Clinic ܡܣܥܪܐ
• Internal Organs: ܗܕܡ̈ܐ ܕܓܘܫܡܵܐ ܓܘܢܝ̈ܐ
• Internal Organs Conversation
• The Outside Members of The Human Body
• The Mouth Parts
• The Fingers ܨܒܥ̈ܬܐ ܕܐܝܕܐ
• Food ܡܐܟܠܬܐ
• At Restaurant ܒܝܬ ܡܐܟܠܬܐ
• Building The House ܒܢܝܐ ܕܒܝܬܐ
• Going Outside ܦܠܛܐ ܠܒܪܝܐ
• Looking for Job ܚ̇ܙܝܐ ܕܫܘܓܠܐ

Chapter 10: Reading ܩܪܝܢܐ

• Helping The Blind Man ܓܒܪܐ ܣܡܝܐ
• The Fortune ܓܙܐ
• My School ܡܕܪܫܬܝ
• The Rope ܚܒܠܐ
• The Heart ܠܒܐ
• Honeymoon
• The Family ܐ̄ܢܫ̈ܐ ܕܒܝܬܐ
• The Fall ܬܫܪ̈ܝܝܐ
• The Winter ܣــــܬܘܐ
• Global Warming ܚܒܝܫܘܬܐ ܕܫܚܢܘܬܐ

Appendices

• Appendix A: The Letters, Numerical Values, & Sounds
• Appendix B: The Punctuation-Special Characters and Ligatures, Modifiers
• Appendix C: The Hard and Soft Letters Rules
• Appendix D: The Preposition Letter Rules
• Appendix E: The Silent Letters
• Appendix F: The Plural
• Appendix G: The Human Body
• Appendix H: The International Numerals
• Appendix I: The Ordinal Numbers Beyond the Tenth
• Appendix J: The Bible’s Books ܟܬܒܐ ܩܕܝܫܐ
• Appendix K: The Months ܝܪ̈ܚܐ
• Appendix L: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
• Appendix M: Dictionaries Used In This Book

References ܫܪ̈ܫܐ