A Comparative Study of Syriac and Kurdish Phonemic Systems Based on a Manuscript from Early 20th Century

Abstract

This study intends to focus on the vicinity between Kurdish and Syriac languages and the need for interchangeability between two different languages and peoples because of daily commerce, habits and common culture and proverbs of the surrounding areas of Iraqi Kurdistan region. The study tries to show the labour of Syriac language in Early 20th Century to adapt its own phonemic system (a Semitic language) to the Kurdish phonemic system (an Indo-European language) with examples from manuscript No. 964 from the depository of the Chaldean Antonian Order of Saint Hormizd in Alqosh - Nineveh.