Mandaean language

Also known as: Mandaic language

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June 30, 2026

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The Mandaean language is a dialect of East Aramaic. It is associated with Mandaeans, members of an ancient Gnostic sect originating in the lower Tigris and Euphrates regions. The term "Mandaean" itself derives from their word for "having knowledge". This language is found in documents written by Mandaeans. While the exact origins of Mandaeanism are debated, some scholars suggest it emerged in southwestern Mesopotamia in early Christian or pre-Christian times, noting Babylonian and Iranian influences in its texts and language. Other theories point to a Syro-Palestinian origin, citing connections to Judaism.123

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Aramaic language
Mandaean, Eastern Neo-Assyrian, and the Aramaic of the Babylonian Talmud. One of the most important of these is Syriac, which was the language of an extensive literature between the 3rd and the 7th century. Mandaean was the dialect of a gnostic sect centred in lower…
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Mandaean, Eastern Neo-Assyrian, and the Aramaic of the Babylonian Talmud. One of the most important of these is Syriac, which was the language of an extensive literature between the 3rd and the 7th century. Mandaean was the dialect of a gnostic sect centred in lower…
Read More