INTRODUCTION

Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country located in the Middle East on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Its official name is Syria. It was once known as the United Arab Republic while it was still integrated with Egypt, however the locals name it Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah. Syria is surrounded on all sides by the nations of Lebanon and Israel to the west, Iraq to the east, Turkey to the north, Jordan to the south, and Turkey to the north.

Damascus is the name of Syria’s capital city. It contains 14 administrative areas namely: Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytinah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda, Dar’a, Dayr az Zaur, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, and Tartus.

Syria’s terrain is characterized by relatively narrow plains interspersed with mountain ranges along the country’s coasts. The interior of the nation is characterized by steppes, while the eastern section is dominated by desert. The Jebel Druze Range may be found in the south, and the Syrian Desert can be found in the eastern part of the country.

Syria is home to a population that is greater than 20 million strong at the present time. The majority of Syrians, close to 90 percent, use Arabic as their first language. Because of this, Arabic has been designated as the country’s official language. Kurdish and Armenian are two of the many languages that are also spoken in this country. Additionally, English and French are common languages used by those working in business-related fields.

More over eighty percent of the population adheres to the religious tenets of Islam, making it the predominant religion in the country. Sunni Muslims make up the vast majority of the Muslim population. Some people follow the Christian religion, while others adhere to a variety of other faiths.

Syria’s Past, Present, and Future: Its Culture, Traditions, and Heritage

People belonging to various socioeconomic groups and caste systems in Syria do not interact with one another as a result of the great stratification that exists in the country’s society. The members of the lower classes are forbidden from communicating with those of the upper classes, and the members of the higher classes would not even have the courage to speak with those of the lower classes. In addition to divisions based on a person’s socioeconomic status, society is also segregated according on the degree of lightness or darkness of a person’s skin. People with lighter skin are more likely to be granted higher-ranking posts in organizations across the country, while those with darker skin are more likely to be assigned positions of lower authority.

Arabs make up the vast majority of the people of Syria; in fact, approximately 80 percent of the population is Arab and practically all of them speak Arabic. Because it is an Arab country, its cultural practices, such as those pertaining to marriage, are heavily influenced by Arabic tradition. Marriages between couples are typically arranged by the parents of both parties. In addition to that, polygamy is legal, just like it is in every other Muslim nation. However, before the man may marry another woman, he must first demonstrate that he is able to provide financially for his current wife and any future spouses. This is a first for all Arab nations as a result of them approving a legislation allowing polygamy, which they did.

It is generally accepted that the elderly wield the most influence in society, particularly within the context of the family. The person in the home who is the oldest is given the right to make decisions that affect the family and is tasked with the responsibility of providing for the family. It is likely that the male is the head of the household and has the power in this situation. On the other hand, women have responsibilities inside the family, including taking care of their children while also being able to work within their chosen profession.

LANGUAGES IN SYRIA

Syria, also known by its official name, the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country that can be found in Western Asia. To the west of the nation is where you’ll find both the Mediterranean Sea and Lebanon. The country is bounded to the north by Turkey, to the south by Jordan, to the east by Iraq, and to the southwest by Israel.

Arabic is the official language of the nation, however there are other variations of the language that are used in different parts of the country. There are approximately 17 different varieties of Arabic spoken in this country. Some of these include Kurdish, Mesopotamian Arabic, Aramaic, Armenian, Assyrian, Levantine Arabic, Western Neo-Aramaic, Najdi Arabic, Standard Arabic, Turoyo, Domari, Lomavren, and classic Arabic. Other varieties include Assyrian and Levantine Arabic. Some of these languages will be covered in further detail in the following paragraphs.

Arabic Language

a school constructed by the Ottomans in Syria
Locals in Syria often communicate with one another primarily via usage of the Syrian Arabic language. This Arabic language is spoken by around ninety percent of the country’s inhabitants. It became widely spoken in the country during the 17th century, when Muslims dominated the country and colonized it. The words are written from right to left in this language. However, the numerals in Arabic or Hindi are written from left to right, while the units are printed on the far right of the page.

It was noted before that Syria is home to a variety of distinct Arabic dialects, all of which belong to the Arabic language family. The following are examples of some of these variants:

Mesopotamian Arabic

This language is a continuum of equally understandable varieties of Arabic that are unique to the Mesopotamian basin of Iraq. It is also spoken in Iran, southeast Turkey, and Syria. This language is spoken by members of the Iraqi diaspora community.

There are two primary dialects of Mesopotamian. Qeltu Mesopotamian Arabic and Gelet Mesopotamian Arabic are two varieties of the same language, yet they are distinct from one another. The phrase “I said” served as the inspiration for each of these names.

The Gelet variety of Arabic is spoken by people who speak a Tigris language group, and Baghdadi Arabic is the most common version of the language. In addition, it includes a branch of the Euphrates language family known as Furati. In the Iranian province of Khuzestan, the Gelet variant of the language is spoken.

The Qeltu language family is comprised of the language groups spoken north of the Tigris river and known together as North Mesopotamian Arabic. It also includes the Christian and Jewish sectarian dialects spoken in Baghdad, such as Baghdad Jewish Arabic. Syria makes use of both of these variants of the word.

Children of Levantine Arabic and Syrian origin

 

This dialect of Arabic is known as a broad tongue because it is spoken not only in Syria but also along the entire coastal strip of the Eastern Mediterranean. It is considered to be one of the five most important variants of the Arabic language. The most common form of communication in Levantine Arabic is spoken language. It is a member of the family of Eastern Arabic dialects known as Mashriqi Arabic, which also includes peninsular Arabic and Mesopotamian Arabic. Specifically, it is a dialect of Mashriqi Arabic.

Classical Arabic

Classical Arabic, also known as Quranic Arabic or Mudari Arabic, is a variety of the Arabic language that was employed in written documents throughout the eras of Umayyad and Abbasid rule in the Middle East. The ancient languages spoken in Arab communities provided the basis for this form. The majority of people in the nation study this language in order to be able to read the Quran in its original language, which is the language that is used in the Quran. As a result, the vast majority of Muslims in Syria and around the globe regard traditional Arabic to be a divine tongue.

Modern Standard Arabic

In addition to being one of the six official languages used by the United Nations, Modern Standard Arabic is the primary language spoken in the Horn of Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East. This variant is used in the school system as well as the vast majority of written material in Syria. This includes things like newspapers, books, official documents, periodicals, and reading simple books for young children. The majority of people in Syria speak variants of the Levantine Arabic language, particularly South Syrian Arabic, which is spoken in the cities of Hama, Damascus, Tartous, and Homs. It is essential to take note of the fact that this particular variety of the Arabic language is not indigenous to any one group of people. Language spoken in the Aleppo region is known as North Syrian Arabic.

Kurdish Language

The Kurdish language belongs to the branch of the Indo-European language family known as Northwestern Iranian. It is the language of the Kurds, who are located in Western Asia. It is composed of Southern Kurdish (Pehlewani), Central Kurdish (Sorani), and Northern Kurdish, which are the three primary linguistic groups (Kurmanji).

The majority of the population in Kurdish-controlled portions of Syria is fluent in Kurdish. These people account for around 6 percent of the total population of the country.

Aramaic Language

The Semitic language family includes a number of different varieties that together make up the Aramaic language. Specifically, it belongs to the Northwest Semitic sub-family, which also includes other Canaanite dialects like Phoenician and Hebrew. It is the only member of this sub-family. The writing system used for Aramaic is derived from those of other languages; specifically, the Syriac, Arabic, and Hebrew alphabets have been identified as its ancestors.

Language of the Western Neo-Aramaic Group

Citadelle d’Alep
During the sixth century, this Western Aramaic dialect was spoken all across the Orotes River Valley and in the highlands of the Anti-Lebanon region. It is the only Western Aramaic dialect that is still spoken today. At the moment, people in the villages of Bakh’a, Ma’loula, and Jubb’adin communicate with one another using this language. The Bakh’a village is the one that stands out as being the most traditional among these three. In comparison to the other two varieties, this one has not been subjected to a significant amount of Arabic influence. In addition to this, it has preserved several terms that have fallen out of use in other languages. The Jubb’adin language has seen significant development due to the significant impact that Arabic has had on it. Additionally, the Jubb’adin language’s phonology is extremely sophisticated. The Ma’loula language is similar to the Jubb’adin dialect and can be found anywhere in the middle of these two languages.

Jish is seeing a renaissance in terms of the use of this language. The relative isolation of the villages and the close-knit social networks that exist inside them are contributing factors to the survival of these dialects in the Arabic nation that hosts them.

The survival of these three varieties of the Western Neo-Aramaic language as live dialects is in grave risk. Like in any other rural culture in the 21st century, young people are leaving the countryside in search of better work opportunities in the larger cities such as Aleppo and Damascus. As a result of this, they have been compelled to relocate into environments where Arabic is the only language used, and as a result, they are unable to actively sustain the usage of the Western Neo-Aramaic language. The Syrian government, on the whole, is the one that is responsible for providing the resources necessary to instruct in this language.

Armenian Language

Armenians are the only speakers of this distinct branch of the Indo-European language family. They use this language to communicate with one another. It is the official language of communication in the Republic of Armenia as well as the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a language that has a long history of being spoken in the Armenian Highlands, and it is still used today in the Armenian diaspora, which includes Syria.

Assyrian Language

The Assyrian people, who are also known as Arameans, Syriacs, and Chaldeans, speak this language. Other names for the Assyrian people include the following: These people belong to an indigenous ethnic group that was found in the Middle East. The majority of Assyrians speak a Semitic dialect of Neo-Aramaic called Central Neo-Aramaic; other subgroups of this language include Northeastern Neo-Aramaic and Western Neo-Aramaic.

The Assyrian Neo-Aramaic dialect, which is sometimes categorized as a Neo-Aramaic language, is the most widely used variety of the Assyrian language at the current time. The language is written with the Syriac script, which was evolved from the Aramaic script used in the middle ages. There is a substantial amount of joint simplicity between the Assyrian Neo-Aramaic language and other dialects, such as Seyana, Chaldean, Bohtan Neo-Aramaic, and Lishana Deni, and as a result, these languages should be categorized as languages of Assyrian Neo-Aramaic rather than as different dialects.

Some Jewish Aramaic dialects are also included in the Assyrian Neo-Aramaic language group. These Jewish Aramaic dialects include Lishana Deni, Lishán Didán, and Lishanid Noshan. In Syria, people of Assyrian Jewish descent speak these several languages.

Assyrians often are fluent in more than one language native to the nation in which they live. This is due to the fact that they are required to study the language (or languages) of their new country of residence. The majority of Assyrian terms were also borrowed from the language of the country that adopted them as its native language.History Of Cameroon

Domari Language

Older members of the Dom community in North Africa and the Middle East are the only speakers of this Indo-Aryan dialect. It is spoken in both of those regions. Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Pakistan, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria are only few of the countries in which people speak Domari as their native tongue.

There are a few other names for the Domari language, including Mehtar, Luti, Tsigene, and Middle Eastern Romani. There is no written form of the Domari language. Therefore, the Arabic script is used wherever it is written anywhere in the Arabian peninsula. The languages of Persian and Arabic have also contributed a great deal to the vocabulary of this language.

The Palestinian Domari dialect, which is often referred to as “Syrian Gypsy,” is the most widely spoken form of the Domari language. As a result of their being fewer individuals who speak this dialect, the language is in risk of going extinct.

Lomavren Language

This is a hybrid form of the Lom language, which is spoken in Armenia. A relatively limited number of people, primarily in Armenia but also in Syria, Russia, and Azerbaijan, are able to communicate in this language. This language derives the majority of its grammar and articulation from Armenian, although the Indic language contributed much to its lexicon. The Lomavren language, on the other hand, is on the verge of extinction.