Turoyo

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A language of Turkey

ISO 639-3
tru
Alternate Names
Suryoyo, Syryoyo, Süryani, Turani
Autonym
Surayt
User Population

16,600 in Turkey (2019). Ethnic population: 50,000 (1994). Total users in all countries: 103,100.

Location

Mardin and Sirnak provinces.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b* (Threatened).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northwestern
Dialects

Midyat, Midin, Kfarze, ’Iwardo, Anhil, Raite. Turoyo subdialects divided between Town Turoyo (Midyat Turoyo), Village Turoyo, and Mixed (Village-Town) Turoyo.

Language Use

Mixed Turoyo, outside Tur ’Abdin, the language’s original location, is increasingly used mainly by youth throughout the Jacobite diaspora. All also use Turkish [tur], or local lingua francas.

Language Development

NT: 1992–2013.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Turoyo
Writing

Latin script [Latn], primary usage. Syriac script [Syrc].

Other Comments

Known among scholars almost exclusively as Tûrôyo; Suryoyo is a popular name. Western Syriac refers to the Classical Western Syriac [syc] liturgy and orthography used by Turoyo speakers. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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