Language Studies

Aramaic Thoughts

On Learning Aramaic and Syriac - Part 1

It struck me that some of you readers might have an interest in learning Aramaic. If that is the case, you could probably use some guidance in the best way to accomplish that. My primary observation in this area is that the prospective student of Aramaic will need to recognize the necessity of spending a fair amount of money in the process, for reasons I will explain as I go along.

First, the student will need to recognize that there are different varieties of Aramaic. The oldest that we really have many records of is that Aramaic that occurs in the Bible, primarily in the books of Daniel and Ezra. Since the amount of material is so limited, this would be only the starting place. The next sort of Aramaic is that of the targums which are early translations/paraphrases of the Hebrew Bible into Aramaic. For the most part the grammar of Biblical Aramaic will be adequate here as well, but an expanded dictionary will be needed, since the vocabulary of the targums is significantly larger than that of the Aramaic portions of the Bible. The third sort of Aramaic is that of the Talmud. The Talmud is a collection of Jewish tradition that dates to the 3to 5th centuries of our era. Finally, there is Syriac, which is a late eastern form of Aramaic. A separate grammar will be needed here in part because Syriac is written in a different script than the previous forms of Aramaic, and also because there are come differences in grammar and syntax between the earlier forms of Aramaic on the one hand and Syriac on the other.

My first recommendation for the student who would learn Aramaic is that he learn Hebrew first. This is due to two factors. First, most grammars of Aramaic and Syriac assume that the student has some knowledge of Semitic languages, and Hebrew in particular. The second factor is that learning Hebrew is, in a certain sense, easier than learning Aramaic. Most seminaries and many colleges offer beginning instruction in Hebrew. In addition, many rabbis at local synagogues either regularly offer some instruction in Hebrew or can be induced to do so by an inquisitive student. While a formal class or tutorial is not necessary to learn Hebrew it is usually a great help. For those who wish to learn Aramaic but do not have access to formal Hebrew instruction, many grammars for beginning Hebrew are readily available at modest prices. I would recommend two in particular. The first is Biblical Hebrew Step by Step (2 volumes) by Menahem Mansoor. This book is designed for self-teaching. It has been available for almost thirty years and has been successfully used by many students. The second grammar is more recent: Basics of Biblical Hebrew Grammar, by Gary Pratico and Miles Van Pelt. This comes with a workbook, a CD, and access to a large number of helps on a dedicated web site. For those who have made the big jump to purchasing the Bibleworks software package, this package includes a beginning Hebrew grammar by Mark Futato. I have not used it personally, but it has been strongly recommended by those who have used it.

None of these resources are cheap and the student will have to decide whether or not he is willing to invest not only the money but the necessary time to make it worth his while. Next week I will have recommendations specifically for Aramaic.

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