ܪܝܫܝܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Etymology

From ܪܹܝܫܵܐ (rēšā, “head”) +‎ -ܝܐ (-āyā, the attributive adjective ending); compare Arabic رَئِيسِيّ (raʔīsiyy) and Hebrew רָאשִׁי (rashí).

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [reːʃɑːjɑː]

Adjective

ܪܹܝܫܵܝܵܐ • (rēšāyā) (feminine ܪܹܝܫܵܝܬܵܐ (rēšāytā), plural ܪܹ̈ܝܫܵܝܹܐ (rēšāyē))

1. main, principal

   ܝܼܗ݇ܘܵܐ ܡܹܐܡܲܪܬܵܐ ܪܹܝܫܵܝܬܵܐ ܒܟܠܹܗ ܣܦܲܪܝܵܘܡܵܐ.

   īwā mēmartā rēšāytā b-kullēh sparyāwmā.

   It was the lead article of the whole newspaper.

   ܒܸܥܡܵܪܵܐ ܠܩܘܼܪܒܵܐ ܟܸܣ ܐܘܼܪܚܵܐ ܪܹܝܫܵܝܬܵܐ ܟܹܐ ܗܵܘܹܐ ܕܫܵܡܥܹܬ ܪܵܒܵܐ ܩܲܗܠܵܐ ܕܡܲܪܕܝܼܬܵܐ.

   biˁmārā l-qurbā kis urḥā rēšāytā kē hāwē d-šāmˁēt rābā qahlā d-mardītā.

   Living near the main road means you hear a lot of traffic noise.

2. superlative degree of ܛܵܒ݂ܵܐ (ṭāḇā); best

   Antonym: ܣܸܪܝܵܐ (siryā)

   ܝܼܗ݇ܘܵܐ ܡܸܢܕܝܼ ܪܹܝܫܵܝܵܐ ܕܝܼܘܸܬ ܚܸܙܝܵܐ.

   īwā mindī rēšāyā d-īwet ḥizyā.

   It was the best thing you've seen.