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Assyrian dialect
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Assyrian dialect

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The term "Assyrian dialect" can refer to two distinct languages:

  • Old Assyrian: This was a dialect of the Akkadian language, spoken in northern Mesopotamia from approximately 2000 to 1500 BCE. Akkadian itself was a Semitic language that became the lingua franca of the Middle East before being gradually replaced by Aramaic.12

  • Modern Assyrian dialects: These are dialects of Aramaic, spoken by modern Assyrians who are an ethnic group with roots in the ancient Assyrian Empire. Aramaic has been spoken in the Mesopotamian region for about three millennia and is closely related to Hebrew and Phoenician.345

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
5 Britannica Sources
  1. Aramaic language
  2. Akkadian language
  3. Assyrian
  4. Old Assyrian
  5. Assyrian

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