Chaldean Loanwords

Villages where varieties of North-Eastern Neo-Aramaic are or have been spoken.

Loanwords in Assyrian Neo-Aramaic came about mostly due to the contact between Assyrian people and Arabs, Persians, Kurds and Turks in modern history, and can also be found in the other dialects spoken by the Assyrian people such as Turoyo.^[1] Assyrian is one of the few languages where most of its foreign words come from a different language family (in this case, Indo-European).^[2]

Unlike other Neo-Aramaic languages, Assyrian has an extensive number of latterly introduced Iranian loanwords.^[3] Depending on the dialect, Arabic loanwords are also reasonably present.^[4] Some Turkish loanwords are Turkified words that are of Arabic origin.^[5] To note, some of the loanwords are revised (or "Assyrianized") and therefore would sound somewhat different to the original word.^[6] Furthermore, some loanwords may also have a slightly different meaning from the original language.^[7]

Below is a list of loanwords in Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, separated into sections based on the source language.

Notes:

• The source language itself may have borrowed the word from another language. These are noted in the "notes" sections.
• Vowels are typically "long" in an open syllable and "short" in a closed syllable; exceptions are noted by macrons on long syllables and breves on short ones.
• Stress typically falls on the penultimate syllable (exceptions are noted by acute accents). Monosyllabic words are also typically stressed.
• Geminated consonants are represented by a doubled letter.
• On transliteration:
  • ʾ represents a plain glottal stop: [ʔ].
  • ʿ represents a pharyngealized glottal stop: [ʔˤ].
  • ḥ represents a voiceless pharyngeal fricative: [ħ].
  • ġ represents a voiced velar fricative: [ɣ].
  • x represents a voiceless velar fricative: [x] or a voiceless uvular fricative: [χ].
  • q represents a voiceless uvular stop: [q].
  • ḳ represents an unaspirated voiceless velar stop: [k˭].
  • ṗ represents an unaspirated voiceless bilabial stop: [p˭].
  • ṣ represents a pharyngealized voiceless alveolar fricative: [sˤ].
  • š represents a voiceless postalveolar fricative: [ʃ].
  • ž represents a voiced postalveolar fricative: [ʒ].
  • ṯ represents a voiceless dental fricative: [θ].
  • ṭ represents a pharyngealized voiceless alveolar plosive: [tˤ].
  • j represents a voiced postalveolar affricate: [d͡ʒ].
  • č represents a plain voiceless postalveolar affricate: [t͡ʃ].
  • č̣ represents a pharyngealized voiceless postalveolar affricate: [t͡ʃˤ].

Assyrian Word Original Word Part of Speech Meaning Notes Classical Syriac equivalent Transliteration Spelling

biš, buš	بیش	adverb	more		yattīr	ܝܬܝܪ
čamča	چمچه	noun	spoon		tarwāḏā	ܬܪܘܕܐ
čangal	چنگال		fork		mašləyā	ܡܫܠܝܐ
čanta, janta	چنته		purse; backpack		kīsā	ܟܝܣܐ
čarikk	چارک		quarter, fourth		rūḇʿā	ܪܘܒܥܐ
darde	درد		sorrow, pain		kēḇā	ܟܐܒܐ
darmana	درمان		medicine, drug	Also borrowed into Classical Syriac.	sammā, darmānā	ܕܪܡܢܐ, ܣܡܐ
ʾerzan	ارزان	adjective	cheap, inexpensive		zəʿōr dəmayyā	ܙܥܘܪ ܕܡܝܐ
gĕran, gran, ʾagran	گران		expensive		saggī dəmayyā	ܣܓܝ ܕܡܝܐ
halbatte, halbat	البته	interjection; adverb	of course; naturally
ham	هم	adverb	also		ʾāp̄	ܐܦ
hič	هیچ	determiner	no, none; nothing		lā; lā meddem	ܠܐ; ܠܐ ܡܕܡ
mēs	میز	noun	table		pāṯūrā	ܦܬܘܪܐ
parda	پرده		curtain		prāsā, pirsā	ܦܪܣܐ
penjar(a)	پنجره		window		kawwəṯā	ܟܘܬܐ
rang(a)	رنگ		colour		ṣeḇʿā	ܨܒܥܐ
razi	راضی	adjective	satisfied, content	Arabic loanword.	raʿyā	ܪܥܝܐ
sabab	سبب	noun; conjunction	reason; because	Arabic loanword.	ʿelləṯā	ܥܠܬܐ
sanā́y, ʾasanā́y, hasanā́y	آسان	adjective	easy		pəšīqā	ܦܫܝܩܐ
tambal	تنبل		lazy		ḥəḇannānā	ܚܒܢܢܐ
xyara	خیار	noun	cucumber	Also borrowed into Classical Syriac.	ḵəyārā	ܟܝܪܐ
zahmat, zamit	زحمت	noun; adjective	trouble, difficulty; troublesome, difficult	Arabic loanword.	qašyā	ܩܫܝܐ
zarda	زرد		yellow; yellowish	Some speakers.	šāʿūṯā; šāʿūṯānāyā	ܫܥܘܬܐ; ܫܥܘܬܢܝܐ

Assyrian Word Original Word Part of Speech Meaning Notes Classical Syriac equivalent Transliteration Spelling

č̣aṗṗe, č̣aṗle	çep	noun	left		semmālā	ܣܡܠܐ
čŭ	çuh	determiner	no; not	Some speakers.	lā	ܠܐ
hawar	hewar	noun	aid		ʿūḏrānā	ܥܘܕܪܢܐ
hiwi	hêvî		hope		saḇrā	ܣܒܪܐ
jamikka	cêmik		twin	Cognate with Latin geminus, French jumeau, Portuguese gêmeo.	tāmā	ܬܐܡܐ
ḳuṗṗala	kopal		staff, cane	Cf. Persian کوپال.	šaḇṭā	ܫܒܛܐ
mra(z)zole		verb	lecturing, scolding	Arabic loanword.	gəʿar	ܓܥܪ
qonya		noun	drain; well		bālōʿtā; bērā	ܒܠܘܥܬܐ; ܒܐܪܐ
zăra	zer	noun; adjective	yellow; yellowish	Some speakers.	šāʿūṯā; šāʿūṯānāyā	ܫܥܘܬܐ; ܫܥܘܬܢܝܐ

Assyrian Word Original Word Part of Speech Meaning Notes Classical Syriac equivalent ModernOttoman Transliteration Spelling

belki, balkit	belki	بلکه	adverb	maybe	From Persian balke (بلکه, "but").	kəḇar	ܟܒܪ
čakuč	çekiç	چكیچ	noun	hammer	From Persian čakoš (چکش, "hammer").	marzap̄tā, ʾarzap̄tā	ܡܪܙܦܬܐ, ܐܪܙܦܬܐ
dabanja	tabanca	طبانجه		pistol, gun
dūs, dus	düz	دوز	adjective	straight, flat; correct		tərīṣā	ܬܪܝܨܐ
gami	gemi		noun	boat, ship		ʾelpā, səp̄ī[n]tā	ܐܠܦܐ, ܣܦܝܢܬܐ
hazir	hazır	حاضر	adjective	ready	From Arabic ḥāḍir (حَاضِر, "present").	ʿəṯīḏā	ܥܬܝܕܐ
kismet	kısmet	قسمت	noun	fate	From Arabic qisma (قِسْمَة, "division").	gaddā	ܓܕܐ
pežgir	peşkir	پیشگیر		towel	From Persian pišgir (پیشگیر).	šūšippā, šōšippā	ܫܘܫܦܐ
rahat	rahat	راحت	adjective	comfortable	From Arabic rāḥa (رَاحَة, "relaxation").	šalyā	ܫܠܝܐ
tammiz, tammis	temiz	تمیز		clean, tidy	From Arabic tamyīz (تَمْيِيز, "refinement").	daḵyā	ܕܟܝܐ
tōs, taws	toz	توز	noun	dust		ʾaḇqā	ܐܒܩܐ
zengin	zengin	زنگين	adjective	rich, wealthy	From Persian sangin (سنگين, "heavy").	ʿattīrā	ܥܬܝܪܐ

These foreign words are borrowed from European languages:

Assyrian Word Original Word Part of Speech Meaning Notes Classical Syriac equivalent Transliteration Spelling

ʾatmabel, ʾatnabel	English, French: automobile	noun	automobile, car	Classical Syriac equivalent is a neologism.	rāḏāytā	ܪܕܝܬܐ
benzin, benzil	German: Benzin		petrol/gasoline
batri	French: batterie, English: battery		battery		baṭrīṯā	ܒܛܪܝܬܐ
bāy	English: bye	interjection	bye		pōš ba-šəlāmā	ܦܘܫ ܒܫܠܡܐ
bira	Italian: birra, from Latin: bibere	noun	beer		pezzā	ܦܙܐ
bomba	English: bomb, French: bombe		bomb	From Ancient Greek bómbos (βόμβος).
glās	English: glass		cup (not necessarily made of glass)		kāsā	ܟܣܐ
ha(l)lo	English: hello	interjection	hello, greetings		šəlāmā	ܫܠܡܐ
lori	English: lorry	noun	lorry/truck
mašina	Russian: mašína (маши́на)		train; automobile	Meaning differs depending on the speaker, dialect and/or context. Ultimately from Ancient Greek mēkhanḗ (μηχανή).	qṭārā	ܩܛܪܐ
mčayyoke	English: check	verb	checking, inspecting	The noun Old French eschec, from medieval Latin scaccus, via Arabic from Persian šāh (شاه, "king").	bəḏaq	ܒܕܩ
pakit(a)	English: packet	noun	packet
stōp	English: stove		stove; heater		təp̄ayyā, təp̄āyā	ܬܦܝܐ
stumka, ʾisṭumka	Ancient Greek: stómakhos (στόμαχος)		stomach	Also borrowed into Classical Syriac. Cognate with English stomach.	karsā, ʾesṭōmka	ܟܪܣܐ, ܐܣܛܘܡܟܐ
tĭlifón	English: telephone		telephone	Coined from Ancient Greek têle (τῆλε, “afar”) and phōnḗ (φωνή, “voice, sound”).	rūḥqqālā	ܪܘܚܩܩܠܐ
tilvizyón	English: television		television	Coined from Ancient Greek têle (τῆλε, “afar”) and Latin vīsiō ("vision, seeing"). Classical Syriac equivalent is a neologism.	pərās ḥezwā	ܦܪܣ ܚܙܘܐ

• Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, a language (also considered a dialect of Assyrian) which also uses some of these loanwords.
• List of English words of Semitic origin
• List of loanwords in Classical Syriac
• Hybrid word
• Morphology
• Romanization of Syriac