ܣܦܪܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Etymology 1

Root
ܣ ܦ ܪ (s p r)
4 terms

From Aramaic סֵפְרָא (sep̄rā), likely borrowed from Akkadian 𒅆𒅁𒀸 (šiprum, “message, report”); compare Arabic سِفْر (sifr) and Hebrew סֵפֶר (sḗp̄er /⁠séfer⁠/).

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [sɪp.rɑː]

Noun

ܣܸܦܪܵܐ • (siprā) m sg (plural ܣܸܦܪܹ̈ܐ (siprē))

1. document, scroll

   Synonyms: ܐܸܫܛܵܪܵܐ (išṭārā), ܟܸܪܟ݂ܵܐ (kirḵā)

2. written book

   Synonym: ܟܬ݂ܵܒ݂ܵܐ (kṯāḇā)

3. (Christianity, Judaism) a book of the Bible
4. (chiefly in the plural) writing, literature, scripture

   Synonym: ܟܬ݂ܝܼ̈ܒ݂ܵܬ݂ܹܐ (kṯīḇāṯē)

Inflection

Inflection of ܣܸܦܪܵܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f
singular	absolute	–		1st person	ܣܸܦܪܝܼ (siprī)		ܣܸܦܪܲܢ (sipran)
	construct	ܣܦܲܪ (spar)		2nd person	ܣܸܦܪܘܼܟ݂ (siprūḵ)	ܣܸܦܪܵܟ݂ܝ (siprāḵ)	ܣܸܦܪܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (siprāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܣܸܦܪܵܐ (siprā)		3rd person	ܣܸܦܪܹܗ (siprēh)	ܣܸܦܪܘܿܗ̇ (siprōh)	ܣܸܦܪܗܘܿܢ (siprhōn)
plural	absolute	–		1st person	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܝܼ (siprī)		ܣܸܦܪ̈ܲܢ (sipran)
	construct	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܲܝ (sipray)		2nd person	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܘܼܟ݂ (siprūḵ)	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܵܟ݂ܝ (siprāḵ)	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (siprāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܣܸܦܪܹ̈ܐ (siprē)		3rd person	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܘܼܗܝ (siprūh)	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܘܿܗ̇ (siprōh)	ܣܸܦܪ̈ܗܘܿܢ (siprhōn)

Derived terms

• ܣܸܦܪܵܝܵܐ (siprāyā)
• ܣܸܦܪܹ̈ܐ ܩܲܕܝܼܫܹ̈ܐ (siprē qadīšē)
• ܣܦܲܪܙܲܒ݂ܢܵܐ (sparzaḇnā)
• ܣܦܲܪܝܵܘܡܵܐ (sparyāwmā)

Etymology 2

Root
ܣ ܦ ܪ (s p r)
4 terms

From Aramaic סָפְרָא (sāp̄ərā), equivalent to the active participle of ܣܵܦܹܪ (sāpēr, “to narrate, scribe”), derived from the above; compare Arabic سَافِر (sāfir) and Hebrew סוֹפֵר (sōp̄ēr /⁠sofér⁠/).

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [sɑːprɑː]

Noun

ܣܵܦܪܵܐ • (sāprā) m sg (plural ܣܵܦܪܹ̈ܐ (sāprē), feminine ܣܵܦܸܪܬܵܐ (sāpirtā))

1. scribe, writer
2. clerk, lawyer, notary
3. one learned (especially in sacred scriptures)
4. (by extension) doctor, person who has attained a doctorate

   Synonym: ܕܘܿܟ݂ܬܘܿܪ (dōḵtōr)

Inflection

Inflection of ܣܵܦܪܵܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f
singular	absolute	–		1st person	ܣܵܦܪܝܼ (sāprī)		ܣܵܦܪܲܢ (sāpran)
	construct	ܣܵܦܸܪ (sāpir)		2nd person	ܣܵܦܪܘܼܟ݂ (sāprūḵ)	ܣܵܦܪܵܟ݂ܝ (sāprāḵ)	ܣܵܦܪܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (sāprāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܣܵܦܪܵܐ (sāprā)		3rd person	ܣܵܦܪܹܗ (sāprēh)	ܣܵܦܪܘܿܗ̇ (sāprōh)	ܣܵܦܪܗܘܿܢ (sāprhōn)
plural	absolute	–		1st person	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܝܼ (sāprī)		ܣܵܦܪ̈ܲܢ (sāpran)
	construct	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܲܝ (sāpray)		2nd person	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܘܼܟ݂ (sāprūḵ)	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܵܟ݂ܝ (sāprāḵ)	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܵܘܟ݂ܘܿܢ (sāprāwḵōn)
	emphatic	ܣܵܦܪܹ̈ܐ (sāprē)		3rd person	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܘܼܗܝ (sāprūh)	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܘܿܗ̇ (sāprōh)	ܣܵܦܪ̈ܗܘܿܢ (sāprhōn)

Derived terms

• ܣܵܦܪܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ (sāprūṯā)

Classical Syriac

Etymology 1

Likely borrowed from Akkadian 𒅆𒅁𒀸 (šiprum, “message, report”). Compare Arabic سِفْر (sifr) and Hebrew סֵפֶר (sḗp̄er).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɛfrɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sɛfre(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܣܦܪܐ • (sefrā) m (plural ܣܦܪܐ)

1. writings
2. document, scroll
3. book
4. literature
5. letters, characters
6. speech, language

Inflection

Inflection of ܣܦܪܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f	m	f
singular	absolute	ܣܦܪ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܟ	ܣܦܪܟܝ	ܣܦܪܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܗܝܢ
plural	absolute	ܣܦܪܝܢ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܝܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪܝ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܝܟ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝ	ܣܦܪܝܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܘܗܝ	ܣܦܪܝܗ	ܣܦܪܝܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܗܝܢ

Synonyms

• (letters) ܐܬܘܬܐ
• (book, writing) ܟܬܒܐ, ܨܘܪܬܐ
• (language, tongue) ܠܫܢܐ, ܠܥܙܐ

Etymology 2

From the root ܣ ܦ ܪ related to narrating, derived from above. Compare Arabic سَافِر (sāfir) and Hebrew סוֹפֵר (sōp̄ēr).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sɑfrɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sɑfre(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܣܦܪܐ • (transliteration needed) m (plural ܣܦܪܐ, singular feminine counterpart ܣܦܪܬܐ)

1. scribe, writer
2. clerk
3. lawyer, notary
4. master, schoolmaster, teacher, doctor
5. one learned in sacred scriptures

Inflection

Inflection of ܣܦܪܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f	m	f
singular	absolute	ܣܦܪ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܟ	ܣܦܪܟܝ	ܣܦܪܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܗܝܢ
plural	absolute	ܣܦܪܝܢ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܝܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪܝ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܝܟ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝ	ܣܦܪܝܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܘܗܝ	ܣܦܪܝܗ	ܣܦܪܝܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܗܝܢ

Etymology 3

From the root ܣ ܦ ܪ related to shearing. Compare Hebrew סַפָּר (sappār).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sappɑrɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [sappɑre(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܣܦܪܐ • (transliteration needed) m (plural ܣܦܪܐ, singular feminine counterpart ܣܦܪܬܐ)

1. shearer, barber

Inflection

Inflection of ܣܦܪܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f	m	f
singular	absolute	ܣܦܪ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܟ	ܣܦܪܟܝ	ܣܦܪܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܗܝܢ
plural	absolute	ܣܦܪܝܢ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܝܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪܝ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܝܟ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝ	ܣܦܪܝܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܘܗܝ	ܣܦܪܝܗ	ܣܦܪܝܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܗܝܢ

Etymology 4

Cognate with ܣܦܬܐ (sep̄ṯā, “lip; shore”). Compare Hebrew סְפָר (səp̄ār).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [s(ə)fɑrɑ(ʔ)] (singular)
• IPA^(key): [s(ə)fɑre(ʔ)] (plural)

Noun

ܣܦܪܐ • (transliteration needed) m (plural ܣܦܪܐ)

1. shore, coast
2. riverbank
3. border
4. edge, margin
5. corner

Inflection

Inflection of ܣܦܪܐ

	isolated forms			with possessive pronouns
	state	form		person	singular		plural
					m	f	m	f
singular	absolute	ܣܦܪ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܟ	ܣܦܪܟܝ	ܣܦܪܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗ	ܣܦܪܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܗܝܢ
plural	absolute	ܣܦܪܝܢ		1st person	ܣܦܪܝ		ܣܦܪܝܢ
	construct	ܣܦܪܝ		2nd person	ܣܦܪܝܟ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝ	ܣܦܪܝܟܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܟܝܢ
	emphatic	ܣܦܪܐ		3rd person	ܣܦܪܘܗܝ	ܣܦܪܝܗ	ܣܦܪܝܗܘܢ	ܣܦܪܝܗܝܢ

References

• “spr”, in The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College, 1986–
• Costaz, Louis (2002) Dictionnaire syriaque-français ∙ Syriac–English Dictionary ∙ قاموس سرياني-عربي, 3rd edition, Beirut: Dar El-Machreq, pp. 234b-235a
• Payne Smith, Jessie (1903) A Compendious Syriac Dictionary Founded Upon the Thesaurus Syriacus of R. Payne Smith, D.D., Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 387a-b
• Sokoloff, Michael (2009) A Syriac Lexicon: A Translation from the Latin, Correction, Expansion, and Update of C. Brockelmann's Lexicon Syriacum, Winona Lake, Indiana, Piscataway, New Jersey: Eisenbrauns; Gorgias Press, p. 1035a-b