Leshono Suryoyo: First Studies in Syriac

by John F. Healey

John Healey's, Leshono Suryoyo , is an introductory grammar for those wishing to learn to read Classical Syriac, one of the major literary dialects of Aramaic and the language of one of the main groups of Middle Eastern churches, including the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Church of the East, and the Chaldaean Church. From the first centuries of the Christian era, Syriac was used by the main theological and historical writers of this tradition (Ephrem the Syrian, Philoxenus of Mabbogh, Thomas of Marga, and Barhebraeus). It also continues to be used in worship.

Genres: Language

248 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though better than Robinson's and a bit more gentle, Healey's grammar is not without problems. Without having a foundation, the student would be entirely lost. It would be best to use this book after completing a teaching grammar (Thackston's) and treating it as a refresher course. With this said, Healey's strength lies in his incorporation of real-life texts into each lesson. The texts at the end are well accompanied by glosses. It would be a nice addition however to have an answer key to the texts and exercises. The verb paradigms are neatly organized in tables and are the best I've seen.

[Paul G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Healey's textbook has pros and cons - I am a big fan of the way in which each chapter is organized (where each lesson starts out with unfamiliar Syriac text which is explained before the main grammar lesson is presented), but I found that the lessons do not cover many topics in sufficient detail (which admittedly may be the intent of the author). While I would love for Healey's immersive approach to be replicated in other introductory grammars, as it stands, the learner will need to go on to less savvy but more complete teaching grammars, especially Coakley.