Neo-Aramaic Dialects

Prior to 1988, the Assyrian Christian community living in the villages of the region of Barwar in northern Iraq spoke a distinct dialect of Northeastern Neo-Aramaic. On the north, the region borders the Turkish province of Hakkari, separated by the Širani mountain chain. The destruction of the Kurdish and Assyrian villages by the Iraqi army (part of the ongoing Iraqi-Kurdish conflict) led to the dispersal of villagers into a diaspora outside of Iraq and threatens the survival of this dialect.

The largest village and administrative capital of Barwar is ʾƐn-Nune. It’s closest neighboring villages are Dure, Dərəške, Bəšmiyaye, ʾIyyət, and Maye. By about 1978, the Assyrian Christian population of these six villages comprised between 400-500 families. Other smaller villages included Bebeluk, ʾẸqri, Maləxθa, Sardašte, Halwa, Daštane, Xwara, Maxrabiya, Butara, Čallək, Jədida, Tašiš, Čaqala, Čamməkke, Hayyis, Margajiya, Mamadoka, Zəvinge, Maglana, Dargale, Musāka, Čammət Bəllo, Tuθe Šemaye, Bāz, Kani Balave, Čam Dastine, Hurke, Tərwanəš, Bazive, Bekozanke, and Betanure. Historically, the Assyrians of Barwar sustained themselves through agriculture and the herding of sheep and goats.