Suriyani Malayalam

Suriyani Malayalam (സുറിയാനി മലയാളം, ܣܘܪܝܢܝ ܡܠܝܠܡ), also known as Karshoni, Syro-Malabarica or Syriac Malayalam, is a dialect of Malayalam written in a variant form of the Syriac alphabet which was popular among the Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Syrian Christians or Nasranis) of Kerala in India.[1][2][3][4] It uses Malayalam grammar, the Maḏnḥāyā or "Eastern" Syriac script with special orthographic features, and vocabulary from Malayalam and East Syriac. This originated in the South Indian region of the Malabar Coast (modern-day Kerala). Until the 19th century, the script was widely used by Syrian Christians in Kerala.

Suriyāni Malayalam
Geographic
distribution		South India
Linguistic classificationDravidian
Suriyāni Malayalam alphabet
Script type
LanguagesAramaic (Classical Syriac), Malayalam (Syro-Malabarica),
Related scripts
Parent systems
Unicode

Writing system

There were numerous problems in writing Malayalam using the Syriac alphabet, which was designed for a Semitic language. Only 22 letters were available from East Syriac orthography to render over 53 phonemes of Malayalam. Both the languages are not related to one another in any way except for religious causes. These problems were overcome by creating additional letters.[5] Basic Syriac ʾĀlap̄ Bēṯ based on form with corresponding Malayalam letters

ܕܓܒܐ
ദ്ഗ്ബ്, വ്അ
ܚܙܘܗ
ഹ്സ്വ്ഹ്
ܠܟܝܛ
ല്ക്, ക്ക്യ്ത്
ܥܣܢܡ
അസ്ന്മ്
ܪܩܨܦ
റ്ഖ്സ്പ്, വ്
ܬܫ
ത്, സ്ശ്

Additional Malayalam letters

ട്ഞ്ജ്ങ്
ര്ഭ്ഩ*ണ്
ഷ്ഴ്ള്
  • alveolar nasal corresponding to U+OD29

Vowels

ܘܹܸ݁ܘ݂ܝ݂ܵܲ
ഒ, ഓഏഎഉ, ഊഇ, ഈആഅ
ܟܘ݁ܟܹܟܸܟܘ݂ܟܝ݂ܟܵܟܲ
കൊ, കോകേകെകു, കൂകി, കീകാക

Unicode

The Syriac alphabet was added to the Unicode Standard in September, 1999 with the release of version 3.0. Additional letters for Suriyani Malayalam were added in June, 2017 with the release of version 10.0.

Blocks
Main articles: Syriac (Unicode block) and Syriac Supplement (Unicode block)

The Unicode block for Syriac is U+0700–U+074F:

Syriac[1][2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
 0123456789ABCDEF
U+070x ܀ ܁ ܂ ܃ ܄ ܅ ܆ ܇ ܈ ܉ ܊ ܋ ܌ ܍ ܏
 SAM 
U+071x ܐ ܑ ܒ ܓ ܔ ܕ ܖ ܗ ܘ ܙ ܚ ܛ ܜ ܝ ܞ ܟ
U+072x ܠ ܡ ܢ ܣ ܤ ܥ ܦ ܧ ܨ ܩ ܪ ܫ ܬ ܭ ܮ ܯ
U+073x ܰ ܱ ܲ ܳ ܴ ܵ ܶ ܷ ܸ ܹ ܺ ܻ ܼ ܽ ܾ ܿ
U+074x ݀ ݁ ݂ ݃ ݄ ݅ ݆ ݇ ݈ ݉ ݊ ݍ ݎ ݏ
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 14.0
2.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

The Syriac Abbreviation (a type of overline) can be represented with a special control character called the Syriac Abbreviation Mark (U+070F).

The Unicode block for Suriyani Malayalam specific letters is called the Syriac Supplement block and is U+0860–U+086F:

Syriac Supplement[1][2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
 0123456789ABCDEF
U+086x ࡠ ࡡ ࡢ ࡣ ࡤ ࡥ ࡦ ࡧ ࡨ ࡩ ࡪ
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 14.0
2.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

Loanwords

Over the centuries, Malayalam borrowed Eastern Syriac words. A few of them are given below:[6]

Original Syriac Suriyani Malayalam Meaning
Emma/Umm[1] Umma or Amma Mother
Abba/Bava Appan, Aavan or Bava Father
Ara Aram Earth, foundation
Almaya Almayar, Almayan Laity
Barek mar, Barek mor Barekmar, Barekmor Bless me, Lord
Osana Oshana Save us, Lord
Halleluiah Hallelūyah Praise Yah (God)
Bema Bema Platform in the middle of a church
Nasraya, Nasrani Nasrani Syrian Christian
Knā'nāya Knānāya Canaanite
Denha Danaha Epiphany
Shūnaya Shūnaya Assumption (of Saint Mary)
Sūlaqa, Sūlōqo Sulaqa Ascension (of Jesus Christ)
Sapra Sapra Morning (prayer)
Sūnāra, Sūnōro Sūnāra Sash or belt
Ūrāra Ūrāra Stole
Marmīza Marmmeesa Psalms
Mazmora Masmora Psalm
Mazmorana Masmorana, Mazmorono Cantor
Mamdana Mamdana Baptist (Saint John)
Yalda Yalda Birth, Christmas
Pesħa[4] Pesaha Passover
Pshitta Pesheetha Syriac Bible
Qoriyana Koriyana Old testament
Qoraya, Qūrōyo Koraya Reader
Turgama Thurgama Interpretation (hymn)
Nivia, Nibia Niviya, Nibiya Prophet, Prophets
Petturta Pethurtha First Sunday of Great Lent
Malakha[3] Malakha Angel
Madbaha Madbaha Altar
Metran Metran Metropolitan
Malpana Malpan Teacher (ecclesiastical)
Keppa Keppa Rock, Apostle Peter
Qudasha[3] Kudasha, Kaudashikam Sacrament
Qaddisha Qandisha, Qandishan The Holy one
Rabban Ramban, Rambachan Monk
Ramsa Ramsha Evening (prayer)
Rāza Rāsa Mystery, Eucharistic celebration
Rushma Rushma Anointment
M'shamshana Shammashan, Shammachan Deacon
Mamoditha[3][4] Mamodisa Baptism
Sahada Sahada Martyr
Sliva Sliva, Siluva, Sleeba Cross
Isho'[3] Isho Jesus
Haikla Halkala Naive of a church
Hūzāya Hūsāya Atonement, reconciliation
Qurbana[3] Qurbana Offering, Eucharist
M'shiħa[3][4] Mishiha Anointed, Christ
Duqrana Dukrana Remembrance
Dayara Dayara Monastery
Qasisha Kathanar/Kasnar Syrian priest
Shliħa Shliha, Shlaihikam Apostle, Apostolic
Mar Mar Lord, Saint
Māran Māran Our Lord (Jesus Christ)
Mart Marth Lady, Saint
Ruħa Ruha Holy Spirit
Shlama Shlama Peace

Literature

Vedatharkam written by Kariattil Mar Ousep is one of the famous books written in Suriyani Malayalam.[2] Large number of documents written in Suriyani Malayalam are found among the Saint Thomas Christians or Nasranis of Kerala.[2] These documents include an alternate set of the Canons of the Synod of Diamper.[7] At present the dialect is not in popular usage. However it strives in historical literature of the Saint Thomas Christian denominations. Thomas Koonammakkal is one of the most notable experts in Garshuni Malayalam studies.[8]

See also

References
  1. "City Youth Learn Dying Language, Preserve It". The New Indian Express. May 9, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  2. Suriyani Malayalam, Nasrani Foundation
  3. A sacred language is vanishing from State, The Hindu
  4. Prayer from the Past, India Today
  5. "Proposal to Encode Syriac Letters for Garshuni Malayalam" (PDF).
  6. Mar Thomma Margam by Fr. Varghese Pathikulangara
  7. Perczel (2014), 266-8.
  8. Perczel (2014).

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.