Editing Syriac language (section)

=== Literary Syriac ===
[[File:6thBeatitude.svg|thumb|400px|The sixth [[Beatitudes|beatitude]] ([[Matthew 5:8]]) from an East Syriac Peshitta.<br />{{lang|syr|ܛܘܼܒܲܝܗܘܿܢ ܠܐܲܝܠܹܝܢ ܕܲܕ݂ܟܹܝܢ ܒܠܸܒ̇ܗܘܿܢ܄ ܕܗܸܢ݂ܘܿܢ ܢܸܚܙܘܿܢ ܠܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ܂}}<br />''{{transliteration|syr|Ṭūḇayhōn l-ʾaylên da-ḏḵên b-lebbhōn, d-hennōn neḥzōn l-ʾălāhā}}.''<br />"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."]]
{{Further|Syriac literature}}

In the 3rd century, churches in [[Edessa]] began to use local Aramaic dialect as the language of worship. Early literary efforts were focused on creation of an authoritative Aramaic translation of the Bible, the [[Peshitta]] ({{lang|syr|ܦܫܝܛܬܐ}} {{transliteration|syr|Pšīṭtā}}).{{sfn|Peursen|2008|231–256}} At the same time, [[Ephrem the Syrian]] was producing the most treasured collection of poetry and theology in the Edessan Aramaic language, that later became known as Syriac.

In 489, many Syriac-speaking Christians living in the eastern reaches of the Roman Empire fled to the Sasanian Empire to escape persecution and growing animosity with Greek-speaking Christians.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} The Christological differences with the Church of the East led to the bitter [[Nestorian Schism]] in the Syriac-speaking world. As a result, Syriac developed distinctive western and eastern varieties. Although remaining a single language with a high level of comprehension between the varieties, the two employ distinctive variations in pronunciation and writing system, and, to a lesser degree, in vocabulary.

The Syriac language later split into a western variety, used mainly by the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] in upper Mesopotamia and Syria proper, and an eastern variety used mainly by the [[Church of the East]] in central and northeastern Mesopotamia. Religious divisions were also reflected in linguistic differences between the [[West Syriac Rite|Western Syriac Rite]] and the [[East Syriac Rite|Eastern Syriac Rite]]. During the 5th and the 6th century, Syriac reached its height as the lingua franca of [[Mesopotamia]] and surrounding regions. It existed in literary (liturgical) form, as well as in vernacular forms, as the native language of Syriac-speaking populations.

Following the Arab conquest in the 7th century, vernacular forms of Syriac were gradually replaced during the next centuries by the advancing [[Arabic|Arabic language]].{{sfn|Weninger|2012|p=747–755}} Having an Aramaic (Syriac) [[Substrata (linguistics)|substratum]], the regional Arabic dialect ([[Mesopotamian Arabic]]) developed under the strong influence of local Aramaic (Syriac) dialects, sharing significant similarities in language structure, as well as having evident and stark influences from previous (ancient) languages of the region.{{sfn|Khan|2007|p=95-114}}{{sfn|Río Sánchez|2013|p=129-136}}
Syriac-influenced Arabic dialects developed among [[Iraqi Arabs|Iraqi Muslims]], as well as [[Christianity in Iraq|Iraqi Christians]], most of whom descend from native Syriac speakers.

Western Syriac is the official language of the [[West Syriac Rite]], practiced by the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]], the [[Syriac Catholic Church]], the [[Maronite Catholic Church]], the [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]], the [[Malabar Independent Syrian Church]], the [[Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church]], the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]] and some Parishes in the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam|Syro-Malabar Knanaya Archeparchy of Kottayam]].

Eastern Syriac is the liturgical language of the [[East Syriac Rite]], practised in modern times by the ethnic Assyrian followers of the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], the [[Assyrian Pentecostal Church]], the [[Ancient Church of the East]], the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], as well as the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]] in India.

Syriac literature is by far the most prodigious of the various Aramaic languages. Its corpus covers poetry, prose, theology, liturgy, hymnody, history, philosophy, science, medicine and natural history. Much of this wealth remains unavailable in critical editions or modern translation.

From the 7th century onwards, Syriac gradually gave way to [[Arabic]] as the spoken language of much of the region, excepting northern Iraq and Mount Lebanon. The [[Mongol invasions and conquests]] of the 13th century, and the religiously motivated massacres of Syriac Christians by [[Timur]] further contributed to the rapid decline of the language. In many places outside of [[Upper Mesopotamia]] and [[Mount Lebanon]], even in liturgy, it was replaced by Arabic.