Comparative study of the communal variations in the dialect of Aleppo (with focus on that of the Syriac Quarter) with notes on the Aramaic substrate of the dialect

Abstract:  This study explores the linguistic characteristics of the Arabic dialect spoken in Ḥayy ə-s-səryān, also known as the ‘Syriac Quarter’ in Aleppo city, within the context of the city's diverse demographic makeup. The Aleppo dialect, a Levantine dialect spoken by various religious and social groups, is used by Christians and Muslims as their everyday language. The Jewish population, historically present in Syria, gradually left the city in the twentieth century. The Aleppo dialect among Christians and Muslims is classified into different types, considering factors like origin and migration. Previous studies by Sabouni and Behnstedt have examined the Muslim and Christian varieties, respectively, but Sabouni did not consider the Christian variety of the dialect and Behnstedt had limited focus on the Syriac Quarter dialect. This research aims to address this gap by analyzing and comparing various dialectal varieties in Aleppo, with a particular emphasis on the Syriac Quarter variety. In addition, the thesis examines the substratum of Aramaic in the dialect of Aleppo. The methodology involves the researcher's recordings of individuals from Aleppo's original Christian and Syriac Quarters. Transcriptions from scholars like Sabouni and Behnstedt were also utilized, with modifications for consistency. The researcher, a native speaker of the Aleppo dialect born in the Syriac Quarter, conducted interviews with individuals from both communities. Christians and Muslims in old town Aleppo initially shared linguistic similarities, residing in common quarters like al-Jallum. Over time, Christians moved to new areas, leading to separate residential zones. An Aramean group migrated from present-day Urfa (historical Edessa/Urhoy) in the early 20th century. The Edessan Syriacs arrived in Aleppo in 1924 and settled in the district that later became known as the Syriac Quarter, experiencing a multilingual environment. They adopted colloquial Arabic influenced by Syriac, Armenian and Turkish.  This research discusses the evolving linguistic landscape in Aleppo due to migrations and cultural interactions. The study explores linguistic variations in the Aleppo dialect, shedding light on the influences shaping its diverse forms.