ܐܬܘܪܝܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Classical Syriac, equivalent to ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪ (āṯōr, “Assyria”) +‎ -ܝܐ (-āyā, the attributive adjective ending). Doublet of ܐܵܫܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ (āšōrāyā) and ܣܘܼܪܵܝܵܐ (surrāyā).

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [ʔaːθoːraːjaː]
• (Nineveh Plains) IPA^(key): [ʔaːθurnaːja]
• (Urmia) IPA^(key): [ʔaːtuːraːjaː]

Adjective

ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ • (āṯōrāyā) (feminine ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪܵܝܬܵܐ (āṯōrāytā), plural ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪ̈ܵܝܹܐ (āṯōrāyē))

1. Assyrian, of or relating to Assyria, the Assyrian people, or the Assyrian dialects of Aramaic or Akkadian
2. (sometimes proscribed) of or relating to the Assyrian Church of the East or its members

   Synonyms: ܡܲܕ݂ܢܚܵܝܵܐ (maḏnḥāyā), ܢܸܣܛܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ (nisṭōrāyā)

Noun

ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ • (āṯōrāyā) m (plural ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪ̈ܵܝܹܐ (āṯōrāyē), feminine ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪܵܝܬܵܐ (āṯōrāytā))

1. Assyrian, one of Assyrian descent

   Synonym: ܣܘܼܪܵܝܵܐ (surrāyā)

2. Assyrian, one living in the region or state of Assyria

Usage notes

Originally meant to be used for Assyrians of all churches, as in nationalist circles today, though in effective usage, it usually refers to members of the Assyrian Church of the East.

Classical Syriac

Etymology

From Akkadian 𒀾𒋗𒊏𒅀 (Aššūrāyu) with a sound shift from /š/ to /ṯ/. The meaning of “enemy” is from the biblical association of the Ancient Assyrians as the enemies of the Ancient Israelites. Doublet of ܣܘܪܝܝܐ and ܫܘܪܝܐ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʔɑθorɑjɑ] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [ʔɑθorɑje] (plural)

Noun

ܐܬܘܪܝܐ • (ʾāṯōrāyā) (plural ܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ (ʾāṯōrāyē))

1. Assyrian
2. Mosulite

   Synonym: ܡܘܨܠܝܐ

3. (figuratively) Enemy

   Synonym: ܒܥܠܕܒܒܐ

Further reading

• J. Payne Smith (Mrs. Margoliouth), A Compendious Syriac Dictionary (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1903) p. 32
• Lexicon Syriacum – Hassan Bar Bahlul p. 322