Welcome to the “Rare(r) Semitic Languages” section of the Digital Semitics Online Library. This page is dedicated to the study and preservation of some of the lesser-known and endangered languages that are still spoken within the Semitic family. Explore the following pages to find resources, texts, and scholarly works focusing on Neo-Aramaic, Mandaic, Modern South Arabian, and the Modern Ethiosemitic languages. These understudied languages hold immense historical and cultural significance, offering invaluable insights into the ancient civilizations that once thrived across the Near East and the Horn of Africa. Whether you are a seasoned linguist or a curious learner, this collection provides a gateway to exploring the rich linguistic heritage of the Semitic world.

Neo-Aramaic Dialects​

The Neo-Aramaic dialects are vernacular varieties of the Aramaic language spoken among small communities in Syria and Iraq as well as Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, and the Assyrian diaspora. For information related to the study of Neo-Aramaic dialects, see here.

Mandaic

Classical and Modern Mandaic is a southeastern Aramaic language used among the Mandaean community in southern Iraq and southwest Iran. Neo-Mandaic is severely endangered with possible as few as just a few hundred native speakers who use it as a first language.

Modern South Arabian

The Modern South Arabian languages are a group of West Semitic languages spoken in the southern regions of the Arabian Peninsula, primarily in Yemen and Oman.

MSA languages are considered endangered. They face various threats to their survival, including social, economic, and political factors, such as the ongoing civil war in Yemen.

Modern Abyssinosemitic (or Southwest Semitic)

Modern Abyssinian (traditionally but insufficiently called Ethiosemitic) languages are a group of West Semitic languages spoken in the Horn of Africa, primary Ethiopia and Eritrea. The modern languages and dialects were once thought to be an offshoot of Classical Gə’əz, but South Ethiosemitic (e.g. Amharic, Gurage, and Harari) as well as Tigre and Tigrinya probably form independent branches from Gə’əz.