Turoyo language

Spoken in

• Afro-Asiatic languages Semitic languages West Semitic languages Aramaic Ostaramäisch Nordwestaramäisch Turoyo

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Tru

Turoyo or Surayt is a neuostaramäische language that was originally spoken mainly in the area of ​​Tur Abdin in southeastern Turkey today and in northeastern Syria Syrian Orthodox Christians and even today - is spoken - despite massive emigration.

Turoyo is very similar to the Assyrian- neuaramäische dialect of the Aramaic language, which is also called " Aramaya / Suryoyo / Surayt / Oromoyo ". Both belong as it were to the (new ) ostaramäischen dialects. A mutual understanding between these two languages ​​or dialects is therefore possible, while this is virtually not possible or with other Aramaic languages ​​, although all Aramaic languages ​​belong to the Semitic languages.

Turoyo been handed down primarily oral; written sources have emerged only very late. Despite their massive repression and persecution by various peoples and states (especially in Turkey of the 20th century ), it is the Christian Arameans managed to preserve their language from extinction. Turoyo is spoken a total of about 80,000-100,000 people. The majority of speakers are migrants who have migrated from their original home in most Western countries, such as Western Europe, America and Australia. In Turkey there are only about 3,000 more older people in the Tur Abdin region in Syria and some 7,000 people have mastered the Turoyo.