Aramaic: A History of the First World Language (Eerdmans Language Resources

by Holger Gzella

In this volume—the first complete history of Aramaic from its origins to the present day—Holger Gzella provides an accessible overview of the language perhaps most well known for being spoken by Jesus of Nazareth. Gzella, one of the world’s foremost Aramaicists, begins with the earliest evidence of Aramaic in inscriptions from the beginning of the first millennium BCE, then traces its emergence as the first world language when it became the administrative tongue of the great ancient Near Eastern empires. He also pays due diligence to the sacred role of Aramaic within Judaism, its place in the Islamic world, and its contact with other regional languages, before concluding with a glimpse into modern uses of Aramaic.  Although Aramaic never had a unified political or cultural context in which to gain traction, it nevertheless flourished in the Middle East for an extensive period, allowing for widespread cultural exchange between diverse groups of people. In tracing the historical thread of the Aramaic language, readers can also gain a stronger understanding of the rise and fall of civilizations, religions, and cultures in that region over the course of three millennia.   A History of the First World Language  is visually supplemented by maps, charts, and other images for an immersive reading experience, providing scholars and casual readers alike with an engaging overview of one of the most consequential world languages in history.

Genres: Language, History, Biblical Studies, Nonfiction

371 pages, Hardcover

Published May 27, 2021

About the author

Holger Gzella is professor of Old Testament at the University of Munich, Germany. He previously served as professor of Hebrew and Aramaic at Leiden University.

Reviews

[John Coatney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, thorough and well-cited history. It is well-written and engaging, but most readers (myself included) who are only peripherally interested in Aramaic (for example, I am interested in Aramaic as it relates to the Hebrew and Christian Bible(s) and its role in subsequent Christian communities) may get bogged down in the level of detail it provides. This is, of course, a good problem for a book to have, and makes it an excellent reference for study of Aramaic and how it has impacted cultures, churches, other languages, etc.

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the way the intersection of politics and religion can affect the spread and development of a language. Full of excellent analogies and not devoid of humor. A worthwhile read for anyone interested in near eastern history or linguistics.

[Matthew Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Easy to read and a fascinating history of Aramaic as a standalone language

[Wilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Het is een wonder dat een boek als dit in het Nederlands verschijnt. Het biedt tal van interessante taalkundige, historische, theologische en archeologische doorkijkjes. Daarmee verschaft het in ieder geval een belangrijke context voor het ontstaan van de Bijbeltekst. Daarnaast gaat het ook in op de ontwikkeling van het Aramees in Joodse, christelijke (Syrische), Samaritaanse et al. context. Kortom, een ware Fundgrube!