Koy Sanjaq Surat

language
name=Koy Sanjaq Surat
nativename=ܣܘܪܬ "Sûrat"
states=Iraq
region=Koy Sanjaq and Armota in Arbil
speakers=800 to 1,000
familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
fam2=Semitic
fam3=Central Semitic
fam4=Aramaic
fam5=Eastern Aramaic
fam6=Central Eastern Aramaic
fam7=Northeastern Central Eastern Aramaic
iso2=syr|iso3=kqd

Koy Sanjaq Surat is a modern Eastern Aramaic or Syriac language. Speakers of the language call it simply "Surat", or 'Syriac'. It is spoken in the town of Koy Sanjaq and its nearby village of Armota in the province of Arbil in northeastern Iraq. The speakers of Koy Sanjaq Surat are traditionally Chaldean Catholics.

Koy Sanjaq Surat seems to be related to Senaya, which is spoken by Chaldean Christians who originally lived east of Koy Sanjaq, in the city of Sanandaj in Iran. Not enough is known about the language to make any definite comment, but it seems that Koy Sanjaq Surat may have developed as the language of Chaldean settlers from Sanandaj. It does not appear to be intelligible with Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, which is spoken by correligionists further north, or with the Jewish Neo-Aramaic language of Lishanid Noshan which was traditionally spoken by the Jews of Koy Sanjaq.

The "Madnhâyâ" version of the Syriac alphabet is used in writing, but most written material is in the Syriac language used in worship.

ee also

* Aramaic language.
* Assyrian Neo-Aramaic.
* Chaldean Catholic Church.
* Chaldean Neo-Aramaic.
* Senaya language.
* Syriac alphabet.
* Syriac language.

External links

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=kqd Ethnologue report for Koy Sanjaq Surat] .