Suriyani Malayalam

Suriyāni Malayalam
Geographic
distribution		South India
Linguistic classificationDravidian
Language codes
Suriyāni Malayalam alphabet
Script type
LanguagesAramaic (Classical Syriac), Malayalam (Syro-Malabarica),
Related scripts
Parent systems
Unicode
 This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

Suriyani Malayalam (സുറിയാനി മലയാളം, ܣܘܪܝܢܝ ܡܠܝܠܡ), also known as Karshoni, Syro-Malabarica or Syriac Malayalam, is a dialect of Malayalam written in a variant form of the Syriac alphabet which was popular among the Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Syrian Christians or Nasranis) of Kerala in India.[1][2][3][4] It uses Malayalam grammar, the Maḏnḥāyā or "Eastern" Syriac script with special orthographic features, and vocabulary from Malayalam and East Syriac. This originated in the South Indian region of the Malabar Coast (modern-day Kerala). Until the 19th century, the script was widely used by Syrian Christians in Kerala.

Writing system

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There were numerous problems in writing Malayalam using the Syriac script, which was designed for a Semitic language. Only 22 letters were available from the East Syriac alphabet to render 53 or so phonemes of Malayalam. This problem were overcome by adopting letters from the Malayalam script.[5] Basic Syriac ʾĀlap̄ Bēṯ based on form with corresponding Malayalam letters.

ܕ ܓ ܒ ܐ
ദ് ഗ് ബ്, വ് അ
ܚ ܙ ܘ ܗ
ഹ് സ് വ് ഹ്
ܠ ܟ ܝ ܛ
ല് ക്, ക്ക് യ് ത്
ܥ ܣ ܢ ܡ
അ സ് ന് മ്
ܪ ܩ ܨ ܦ
റ് ഖ് സ് പ്, വ്
ܬ ܫ
ത്, സ് ശ്

Augmented letters from Malayalam script

ട് ഞ് ജ് ങ്
ര് ഭ് ഩ* ണ്
ഷ് ഴ് ള്

* Malayalam alveolar nasal encoded as U+0D29 for scholarly purposes.

Vowels

ܘ݁ ܹ ܸ ܘ݂ ܝ݂ ܵ ܲ
ഒ, ഓ ഏ എ ഉ, ഊ ഇ, ഈ ആ അ
ܟܘ݁ ܟܹ ܟܸ ܟܘ݂ ܟܝ݂ ܟܵ ܟܲ
കൊ, കോ കേ കെ കു, കൂ കി, കീ കാ ക

Unicode

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The Syriac alphabet was added to the Unicode Standard in September, 1999 with the release of version 3.0. Additional letters for Suriyani Malayalam were added in June, 2017 with the release of version 10.0.

Blocks

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Main articles: Syriac (Unicode block) and Syriac Supplement (Unicode block)

The Unicode block for Syriac is U+0700–U+074F:

Syriac[1][2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
U+070x ܀ ܁ ܂ ܃ ܄ ܅ ܆ ܇ ܈ ܉ ܊ ܋ ܌ ܍ SAM
U+071x ܐ ܑ ܒ ܓ ܔ ܕ ܖ ܗ ܘ ܙ ܚ ܛ ܜ ܝ ܞ ܟ
U+072x ܠ ܡ ܢ ܣ ܤ ܥ ܦ ܧ ܨ ܩ ܪ ܫ ܬ ܭ ܮ ܯ
U+073x ܰ ܱ ܲ ܳ ܴ ܵ ܶ ܷ ܸ ܹ ܺ ܻ ܼ ܽ ܾ ܿ
U+074x ݀ ݁ ݂ ݃ ݄ ݅ ݆ ݇ ݈ ݉ ݊ ݍ ݎ ݏ
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 16.0
2.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

The Syriac Abbreviation (a type of overline) can be represented with a special control character called the Syriac Abbreviation Mark (U+070F).

The Unicode block for Suriyani Malayalam specific letters is called the Syriac Supplement block and is U+0860–U+086F:

Syriac Supplement[1][2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
U+086x ࡠ ࡡ ࡢ ࡣ ࡤ ࡥ ࡦ ࡧ ࡨ ࡩ ࡪ
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 16.0
2.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

Loanwords

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Over the centuries, Malayalam borrowed Eastern Syriac words. A few of them are given below:

Original Syriac Suriyani Malayalam Meaning
Immā[1][6] Umma or Amma Mother
Avā Appan, Aavan or Bava Father
Ar’ā Aram Earth, foundation
‘almāyā Almayar, Almayan Laity
Nāṣrāyā Nasrani Follower of Nazareth Christ
Kna'nāyā Knānāya Canaanite
Piṣḥā[4] Pesaha Passover
Petturta Pethurtha First Sunday of Great Lent
Mala’ḵā[3] Malakha Angel
Maḏbḥā Madbaha Altar
Metran Metran Metropolitan
Malpānā Malpan Teacher (ecclesiastical)
Quddāšā[3] Kudasha Sacrament
Qaddīšā Qandisha, Qandishan The Holy one
Rabban Ramban, Rambachan Monk
Mšammšānā/Šammāšā Shammashan, Shammachan Deacon
Ma’mōḏīṯā[3][4] Mamodisa Baptism
Sāhḏā Shahada Martyr
Ṣlīvā Sliva, Siluva, Sleeba Cross
Īšō'[3] Isho Jesus
Qurbānā[3] Qurbana Sacrifice/Peace Offering
Mšīḥā[3][4] Mishiha Anointed, Christ
Duḵrānā Dukrana Remembrance
Qaššīšā Kathanar/Kasnar Syrian priest
Mār Mar Lord, Saint
Rūḥā Ruha Holy Spirit
Yaldā Eldho, Yeldho Nativity
Šlīḥā Shliha Apostle

Literature

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Vedatharkam written by Kariattil Mar Ousep is one of the famous books written in Suriyani Malayalam.[2] Large number of documents written in Suriyani Malayalam are found among the Saint Thomas Christians or Nasranis of Kerala.[2] These documents include an alternate set of the Canons of the Synod of Diamper.[7] At present the dialect is not in popular usage. However it survives in historical literature of the Saint Thomas Christian denominations. Thomas Koonammakkal is one of the most notable experts in Garshuni Malayalam studies.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "City Youth Learn Dying Language, Preserve It". The New Indian Express. May 9, 2016. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "The Effect of Coronavirus on the Casino Industry | Nasrani Foundation". Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : A sacred language is vanishing from State". 2008-08-16. Archived from the original on 16 August 2008. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  4. ^ a b c d Radhakrishnan, M. G. (August 4, 1997). "Tiny village in Kerala one of the last bastions of Syriac in the world". India Today. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  5. ^ "Proposal to Encode Syriac Letters for Garshuni Malayalam" (PDF).
  6. ^ Mar Thomma Margam by Fr. Varghese Pathikulangara
  7. ^ Perczel (2014), 266-8.
  8. ^ Perczel (2014).

Further reading

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