Dictionary of the Dialects of Vernacular Syriac

Arthur J. Maclean served as the head of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Assyrian Mission in Urmia, Iran from 1886 until 1891. In the short space of five years he became well acquainted with the life, customs and languages of the Assyrian people. Although Maclean chose not to return to the field for further service, he maintained a keen interest in the Mission and the Assyrians. In 1901 he published his “Dictionary of the Dialects of Vernacular Syriac”. This is the first full dictionary of the Modern Assyrian language to be published in any language. Maclean enhanced the value of his dictionary by providing extensive notes as to the origins of the words. Subsequent dictionaries by David and Oraham have not lessened the usefulness of Maclean’s work. It also serves as an important reference for many Turkish, Persian and Kurdish words that were common to the speech and writings of the Assyrians at the turn of the century and have since been replaced in the Assyrian language.