Summer 2024
Syriac Verb Tutorial
Project Lead: Michael Penn
Most early Christian literature was written in one of three languages: in Greek, in Latin, or in a dialect of Aramaic called Syriac. Between the second and tenth centuries CE the last of these languages, Syriac, was the lingua franca of the late ancient Middle East. There are about ten million modern Christians, from what is modern day Eastern Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Southern India, and now in diaspora that trace their lineage to the ancient Syriac churches. But because of its focus on more western branches of Christianity, there are only a handful of modern scholars who are able to read this important language of pre-modern Christianity. So, too, there are very minimal pedagogical resources for teaching or learning this endangered language. For example, although there are a few textbooks on first year Syriac, there isn’t a single textbook for intermediate or advanced study. This has become particularly problematic in the teaching and learning of Syriac’s complicated verbal system. Currently most students of Syriac simply try to memorize large charts of verbal paradigms. But as there is not a single workbook or other resource by which to drill and reinforce one’s knowledge of Syriac verbs, this remains an ineffective system of study and instruction.
Project Members
Project Team
Michael Penn
Professor or Religious Studies
Erick Angelo Ramirez
Undergraduate Researcher - Summer, 2024
Syriac Verb Tutorial Gamificaton
The Syriac Verb Tutorial project is a language-learning initiative supported by the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis (CESTA) at Stanford University. This web application provides a space for Syriac language learners, educators, and researchers to improve proficiency in the language. The platform includes various tools designed to enhance engagement with Syriac verb forms, such as a Verb Construction mode (for conjugating verbs) and a Verb Identification mode (for recognizing verb forms).
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Over the summer, I initially focused on updating the existing Syriac verb tutorial by debugging certain features and adding final touches to improve the user experience. Then, I brainstormed and developed gamification features to make learning Syriac verb conjugations and identification more engaging. One interactive game I created is a PGN Matching activity where users match the correct person-gender-number (PGN) with a given verb conjugation. This game aims to tackle the complex nature of Syriac verb conjugations, as a single verb stem can have up to 186 different conjugations depending on its form, tense, and PGN. The game allows users to set a countdown timer and select the types, forms, and tenses of the verbs they want to practice. Players then try to match as many verb conjugations as possible within the time limit to increase their score. At the end of the game, users receive a list of all the verb conjugations they encountered, along with their correct and incorrect answers, allowing them to review and learn from their performance.
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I also began prototyping another game, called the Vowel Placement Game, which focuses on unvocalized conjugations—conjugations with the vowels omitted. In this game, users are presented with a verb conjugation in its unvocalized form, along with its specified form, tense, and PGN markers. The objective is to drag and drop the correct vowels above the corresponding consonants to reconstruct the full vocalization of the verb. This interactive activity not only reinforces users’ understanding of Syriac vowel patterns but also deepens their grasp of how vowel placement differs with different verb forms, tenses, and PGNs. As players correctly place vowels, they gain immediate feedback, which helps them learn the correct vocalization rules and patterns. By repeatedly practicing with unvocalized verbs, learners can improve their ability to recognize and vocalize Syriac verbs accurately, enhancing their overall language proficiency.
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By developing tools that make learning Syriac more engaging and accessible, this project aims to bridge a significant gap in language education. Syriac, an ancient Aramaic dialect, was once the lingua franca of vast Christian communities stretching from Eastern Turkey and the Middle East to Afghanistan, Tibet, China, and India during the early and medieval periods. These communities played a critical role in the spread of Christianity and in the exchange of cultural, scientific, and theological ideas across different civilizations. Understanding Syriac is not just about learning a language; it’s about connecting with this rich history and the cultural and religious traditions that have shaped a large part of the world. Despite its historical importance, few people today can read Syriac, and resources for studying it, especially at advanced levels, are limited. By making these learning resources available, we support the preservation of the Syriac language and its cultural heritage, ensuring that it remains a vibrant and accessible part of the world’s historical narrative for future generations of scholars and students.