The Chronological Development of Adjectives in –aya up to 725

In a couple of earlier contributions I have indicated the potential interest of certain word formations, and in particular adjectival forms in –aya, as providing some useful criteria for dating undated texts. S.P. Brock, “Diachronic aspects of Syriac word formation: an aid for dating anonymous texts”, in R. Lavenant (ed.), V Symposium Syriacum (OCA 236; Rome, 1990), 321-30, and “A criterion for dating undated Syriac texts: the evidence from adjectival forms in –aya”, Parole de l’Orient 35 (2010), 111-24. In the earlier of the two, my focus was primarily on the increasing use of certain word formations employing the suffixes –ana, -anuta, -ana’it, and adjectival forms in -aya only received mention at the end. Study of the suffix forms –ana etc. was taken further in connection with Greek loanwords in Brock, “Secondary formations from Greek loanwords in Syriac”, in H. Juusola, J. Laulainen and H. Palva (eds), Verbum et Calamus. Semitic and Related Studies in Honour of Professor Tapani Harviainen (Studia Orientalia 99; Helsinki, 2004), 31-39, and A.M. Butts. “The use of Syriac derivational suffixes with Greek loanwords”, Orientalia 83 (2014), 206-37. With the collection of further materials, however, it became evident that these adjectival forms in –aya in fact provided much the best evidence for diachronic developments, and it was with these that the second study was exclusively concerned.

S.P. Brock, “Diachronic aspects of Syriac word formation: an aid for dating anonymous texts”, in R. Lavenant (ed.), V Symposium Syriacum (OCA 236; Rome, 1990), 321-30, and “A criterion for dating undated Syriac texts: the evidence from adjectival forms in –aya”, Parole de l’Orient 35 (2010), 111-24.

Study of the suffix forms –ana etc. was taken further in connection with Greek loanwords in Brock, “Secondary formations from Greek loanwords in Syriac”, in H. Juusola, J. Laulainen and H. Palva (eds), Verbum et Calamus. Semitic and Related Studies in Honour of Professor Tapani Harviainen (Studia Orientalia 99; Helsinki, 2004), 31-39, and A.M. Butts. “The use of Syriac derivational suffixes with Greek loanwords”, Orientalia 83 (2014), 206-37.

Anyone who is at all familiar with Syriac literature is likely to have observed that earlier Syriac texts are sparing in their use of adjectives, whereas later ones often have a profusion. Having now collected a large amount of material from texts both published and unpublished for the period up to AD 725, it seems possible to offer with a certain amount of confidence an outline of the development in the use of these adjectival forms, presented in the form of a basic alphabetical inventory of them in which, for each entry, an indication is given for the earliest attestation (the century is indicated by a Roman numeral), followed by (usually) single examples from later writers, in particular the poets Narsai, Jacob of Serugh and ‘Isaac of Antioch’, as well as the main prose writers of the fifth/sixth – early eighth century (the death of George of the Arab tribes in 724 and the dated (721) translation of Sophronios’ Letter to Arcadius have provided the cut-off date of 725). Since many adjectives in –aya will have first been introduced into usage through Syriac translations of Greek texts, considerable attention has been paid to those Greek authors who were clearly influential, above all Athanasius, Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia and Severus, the Syriac translation of several of whose works can be approximately dated. Since a considerable number of these Syriac translations have not yet been published, I have made use of the rich holdings of early Syriac manuscripts in the British Library which contain many of these unpublished translations. Even with such an extensive range of source materials from which the lexicon below is drawn, it is of course likely that future work on editing further texts will bring to light earlier and/or additional examples of these adjectival forms; accordingly the present contribution should be regarded as being only preliminary in character.

It is important to draw attention to two important features which the inventory does not address, namely frequency in any given author, and semantics. I hope to address the former in particular in some future studies; here, however, it is only for fourth-century texts that more than a single reference is given for each author.

Needless to say, for purposes of dating undated texts this inventory should not be used in isolation, but alongside a whole number of other criteria which are helpful for this purpose. See, for example, L. van Rompay, “Some preliminary remarks on the origin of Classical Syriac as a standard language: the Syriac version of Eusebius of Caesarea’s Ecclesiastical History”, in G. Goldenberg and S. Raz (eds), Semitic and Cushitic Studies (Wiesbaden, 1994), 70-89, and Brock, “Some diachronic features of Classical Syriac”, in M.F.J. Baasten and W. Th. van Peursen (eds), Hamlet on a Hill. Semitic and Greek Studies presented to Professor T. Muraoka (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 118; 2003), 95-111. The growth in the number and use of Greek loanwords is likewise an important indicator of diachronic developments: see especially A.M. Butts, Language Change in the Wake of Empire. Syriac in its Greco-Roman Context (Winona Lake, 2016).

See, for example, L. van Rompay, “Some preliminary remarks on the origin of Classical Syriac as a standard language: the Syriac version of Eusebius of Caesarea’s Ecclesiastical History”, in G. Goldenberg and S. Raz (eds), Semitic and Cushitic Studies (Wiesbaden, 1994), 70-89, and Brock, “Some diachronic features of Classical Syriac”, in M.F.J. Baasten and W. Th. van Peursen (eds), Hamlet on a Hill. Semitic and Greek Studies presented to Professor T. Muraoka (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 118; 2003), 95-111. The growth in the number and use of Greek loanwords is likewise an important indicator of diachronic developments: see especially A.M. Butts, Language Change in the Wake of Empire. Syriac in its Greco-Roman Context (Winona Lake, 2016).

The materials upon which the inventory is based consist of:

(1) Peshitta Old and New Testaments.

(2) Writings earlier than c.400, thus predominantly Aphrahat, Ephrem and the Liber Graduum, for all of whom several references (where they exist) are given.

(3) All the published texts of Narsai (thus including those in the edition by the Patriarchal Press), likewise all the published texts of Jacob of Serugh, both prose and verse (including the 160 further memre published by Akhrass and Syryany), and the various works under the name of Isaac of Antioch published by Bickell and Bedjan; here it should be noted that a large number of works by ‘Isaac’ remain to be published.

(4) The main published prose writers of the fifth/sixth century, notably (and in roughly chronological order) John of Apamea, Philoxenus, Cyrus and Thomas of Edessa, Daniel of Salah, and John of Ephesus; and those of the sixth/seventh century, notably Barḥadbeshabba, Sahdona, Babai, Isho‘yahb III, Dadisho‘, Isaac of Nineveh, Jacob of Edessa, George of the Arab tribes. These are supplemented, primarily when they attest additional forms, by a number of other sources such as Gregory of Cyprus, John of the Sedre, Athanasius of Balad, the Synodicon Orientale, and others.

(5) Syriac translations, introduced by TR in the inventory, of the main influential Greek authors, as noted above. Several of these translations can be at least approximately dated, and in some cases exist in two versions, an earlier and a later one, usually a revision. Particularly important for the present purposes are those translations which can be approximately dated; details of these are given below under Dating. Since it appears that around the turn of the fifth/sixth century was the time when a number of important new adjective forms came into use, special attention is paid to the Canons of Nicaea and subsequent Synods, preserved in a manuscript dated 500/1, the original translations of Gregory of Nazianzus’ Discourses and of Severus’ Homilies, and polemical works against Julian of Halicarnassus.

(6) Since hagiographical texts are usually anonymous and for the most part difficult to date, these are only rarely cited (primarily when they provide witness for a rare entry).

It should be noted that, in the case of authors listed in (4) and (5), not all surviving works covered in my materials have been cited in the Inventory; thus, for example Basil’s on the Holy Spirit, Theodore of Mopsuestia’s Against the Macedonians, and the texts in W. Strothmann’s Johannes von Apamaea (1972), to mention only the most obvious, do not feature since they provide no further information beyond what is found in the other works of these authors which are cited.

Needless to say, the number of the adjectival forms in –aya continues to increase considerably after the cut-off date of 725; simply as a pointer in this direction I have included a limited selection of these drawn from liturgical texts, in particular anaphoras. These have the indication ‘post VII’.

Adjectives in –aya originated as adjectival forms of numbers (ordinals), and to denote ethnic origin. Both these categories are excluded, along with the points of the compass. Certain of these forms in –aya function primarily as nouns, and only rather rarely as adjectives; this applies to cases such as aksnaya, barbraya, iḥidaya, nukraya and ‘almaya (‘layman’); in the repertory below it is only instances of the adjectival use of such words that are included.

In unvocalized texts is it impossible to tell whether a feminine ending should be vocalized –ita (attached to words ending –ana, e.g. pagrana), or –ayta (thus belonging to an adjective ending –anaya). This ambiguity can remarkably be seen in Bedjan’s occasional vocalization shmayanayta (thus e.g. in his edition of Jacob of Serugh, v, 439), rather than shmayanita, the former being the feminine singular of shmayanaya, whereas the latter (certainly correct in this case) is from shmayana. Nevertheless one should note an isolated case of shmayanaya in Narsai: in his memra on Enoch and Elijah the phrase nasha shmayanaye occurs (ed. Frishman, I, 486), where the four-syllable form is required by (and perhaps was also occasioned by) the metre.

It also needs to be remembered that scribes may sometimes update earlier forms; a good example of this is Sirach 47:21, where 7a1 (and de Lagarde’s edition) has ḥanpayta, whereas the original reading was almost certainly ḥanpta (thus preserved in the Mosul edition). This form of updating may well also apply to the single apparent occurrence of ar‘anaya in Ephrem, H. de Ecclesia 49:2, where Beck’s text has ḥashe ar‘anaye; this, however, goes against the metre, which suggests that the original reading was ḥashe ar‘ane.

Translators rarely get mentioned, and so the majority of translations are anonymous, and so not easy to date. Various criteria, however, are available, with the help of which an approximate date for a translation can be assigned. This is the case notably where:

(1) The rare cases where the date of the translation is given, or a firm terminus ante quem is available:

(a) Harklean and Syrohexapla.

(b) Severus, Against Julian of Halicarnassus. The trans-lation was made (or perhaps just commissioned) by Paul of Kallinikos in 528.

(c) PsDionysius; the corpus was translated by Sergius of Resh‘aina, who died in 536. Since only part of the corpus has been published, I have also made use of the single main witness, Sinai Syr. 52. The subsequent revision by Phokas of Edessa in the late seventh remains almost entirely unpublished, and it has only been used here for the section on the Myron in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, edited by Strothmann.

(d) Paul, bishop of Edessa, was very active as both translator and reviser of earlier translations; at least some of this work was undertaken in 623/4 while he was in Cyprus, whither he had taken refuge from the Persian occupation.

(e) The dates for some of Jacob of Edessa’s translations/revisions are known.

(f) Constantine of Edessa translated Sophronius’ Letter to Arcadius in 720/1, as is specifically mention in the colophon of BL Or. 8606, copied in Edessa two years later.

(2) The date of the manuscript containing the work provides a terminus ante quem:

(a) This applies above all to the texts contained in BL Add. 12150, dated 411 (Edessa), notably Eusebius’ Theophania and Titus of Bostra’s work Against the Manichaeans.

(b) Cyril of Alexandria’s Worship in Spirit, preserved in Add. 12,166, dated 553. I had intended to include evidence from this manuscript, but the closure of the British Library due to the pandemic has prevented this.

I had intended to include evidence from this manuscript, but the closure of the British Library due to the pandemic has prevented this.

(c) PsZacharias, Historia Ecclesiastica, is preserved in Add. 17,202, dated c.600.

(d) Cyril of Alexandria’s Thesaurus, in Add. 12,135, dated 611.

(3) Internal criteria. Philoxenus’ Commentary on the Prologue of John is witness to a concern for precision in rendering Greek terms having a bearing on Christology, in particular esarkothe and enanthropesen, and in the case of both terms a progression in time over usage has been charted; thus for esarkothe the earliest rendering, lbesh pagra, is attested in fourth-century authors and in the original form of the Creed at the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (410); in the fifth century etgashsham comes into widespread use, and at the end of that century the neologism etbassar first appears, probably at the same time as another neologism, etbarnash, a calque on enathropese, for which the earlier rendering had been hwa barnasha. See especially J. Gribomont, “Le symbole de foi de Séleucie-Ctésiphon”, in R.H. Fischer, A Tribute to Arthur Vööbus (Chicago, 1977), 283-94 and A. de Halleux, A. de Halleux, “Le symbole des évêques perses au synode de Séleucie-Ctésiphon (410”), in G. Wiessner (ed.), Erkenntnisse und Meinungen, II (Göttinger Orientforschungen, Reihe Syriaca 17; 1978), 161-90, and “La philoxénienne du symbole”, in Symposium Syriacum 1976 (Orientalia Christiana Analecta 205; 1978), 295-315. For this as a criterion in dating the various translations of Cyril’s Letters, D. King, The Syriac Versions of the Writings of Cyril of Alexandria. A Study in Translation Technique (CSCO Subs. 123; 2008). A few, evidently transitional, terms never caught on: thus e.g. ܐܬܦܓܪܢ. These two terms thus provide a valuable terminus post quem of late fifth century for any translation containing them.

See especially J. Gribomont, “Le symbole de foi de Séleucie-Ctésiphon”, in R.H. Fischer, A Tribute to Arthur Vööbus (Chicago, 1977), 283-94 and A. de Halleux, A. de Halleux, “Le symbole des évêques perses au synode de Séleucie-Ctésiphon (410”), in G. Wiessner (ed.), Erkenntnisse und Meinungen, II (Göttinger Orientforschungen, Reihe Syriaca 17; 1978), 161-90, and “La philoxénienne du symbole”, in Symposium Syriacum 1976 (Orientalia Christiana Analecta 205; 1978), 295-315. For this as a criterion in dating the various translations of Cyril’s Letters, D. King, The Syriac Versions of the Writings of Cyril of Alexandria. A Study in Translation Technique (CSCO Subs. 123; 2008). A few, evidently transitional, terms never caught on: thus e.g. ܐܬܦܓܪܢ.

(4) Both an original translation and a revision are known: this applies in particular to:

(a) Gregory of Nazianzus’ Discourses were originally translated probably c.500, and revised by Paul of Edessa in the first half of the 620s. The original translation is only preserved in part; to supplement the small amount of the original version so far published from it, use has been made of two manuscripts containing it.

(b) Severus’ Homilies were first translated in the first half of the sixth century, and then revised by Jacob of Edessa in the late seventh century and completed in 700/1. With only a few exceptions, only the revision has been published; since the original translation is obviously an important witness for new forms in –aya, resort has been made to some early manuscripts containing it.

(c) Severus’ Hymns were first translated by Paul of Edessa in the 620s, and then revised by Jacob of Edessa in 675; the published edition contains Jacob’s revision.

(d) Sergius of Resh‘aina’s translation of the Ps-Dionysian corpus, revised by Phokas, has already been mentioned under 1(c).

(e) The sixth-century translations of Porphyry’s Eisagoge and of Aristotle’s Categories were revised in the seventh century by (respectively), Athanasius of Balad in 645, and Jacob of Edessa.

(f) Basil’s Homilies, translated in a very expansive manner, probably early in the fifth century, required a completely new translation in the seventh century; some of this new translation is preserved in Cambridge Add. 3175.

For the purposes of the present contribution it is primarily (a) and (b) which have been used.

(5) On grounds of style of translation. Study of the development of translation technique for biblical and authoritative patristic texts has revealed a steady development from reader- to text-oriented translation style, the turning point being c. 500. A considerable number of translation features, and above all a verbum ad verbum approach and its consequences, can serve as excellent indicators of later sixth- and especially seventh-century translations.

Jan AG 928 = AD 617 is the date given in the Milan Syrohexapla for the translation of the XII Prophets (f.114r) and Daniel (f.151v).

The date, Jan AG 956 = AD 645, is given in Vat. Syr. 158, f.16.

The evident date seems to be provided by a note in a shmahe (‘masoretic’) manuscript described by Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Barsaum, Sriṭotho d-dayro d-kurkmo/Deyrul-Zafaran Manuscripts, II (Damascus, 2008), 83.

Abbreviations Fuller bibliographical details can readily be found in the Gorgias Encyclopedia of the Syriac Heritage (2011). Besides the texts listed here, a few further ones have been cited from periodical publications, for which the basic references are given in the the course of the Inventory. An asterisk (*) denotes Syriac pagination.

Fuller bibliographical details can readily be found in the Gorgias Encyclopedia of the Syriac Heritage (2011). Besides the texts listed here, a few further ones have been cited from periodical publications, for which the basic references are given in the the course of the Inventory. An asterisk (*) denotes Syriac pagination.

Ahudemmeh = Aḥudemmeh [6th cent.].Traité sur l’homme, ed F. Nau (PO 3.1; 1905), 97-115, cited by page.

AMS = P. Bedjan, Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum I-VII (Paris/Leipzig, 1890-97).

AnSyr = Analecta Syriaca, ed. P. de Lagarde (1858).

Aphr Dem = Aphrahat, Demonstrations, ed. Parisot (Patrologia Syriaca I.1-2; 1894-1907).

Arist Categ = Aristotle, Categories, sixth-century translation, ed. D. King (2010).

Athan I-IV = Athanasiana Syriaca, I-IV, ed. R.W. Thomson (CSCO Scr. Syri 114, 118, 142 167; 1965-77), cited by volume and page.

AthBal = Athanasius of Balad [d. 687], Introduction to Aristotle’s Organon, ed. G. Furlani (1916).

Vat. 158 = his revised translation of Porphyry’s Eisagoge [dated 645].

Bab CEvag = Babai the Great [d. 628], Commentary on Evagrius, Kephalaia Gnostica, ed. W. Frankenberg, Evagrius Ponticus (1912).

Giw = Martyrdom of Giwargis, ed. P. Bedjan, Histoire de Mar Jabalaha, de trois autres patriarches, d’un prêtre et deux laïques nestoriens (1895), 416-571, cited by page.

LdU = Liber de Unione, ed. A. Vaschalde (CSCO Scr. Syri 34; 1915), cited by page.

Barhad HE = Barḥadbshabba of Halwan [6th/7th cent.], Historia Ecclesiastica, I-II, ed. F. Nau (PO 9.5; 1913 and 23.2; 1932), cited by page.

Barhad Schools = Barḥabdbshabba Arbaya [6th/7th cent.], Cause de la foundation des écoles, ed. A. Scher (PO 4.4; 1907), cited by page.

Basil CHexaem = Basil, Commentary on the Hexaemeron, ed. R.W. Thomson (CSCO Scr. Syri 222; 1995), cited by page.

Canons = Add. 14,528 (‘A’, dated 500/1) in F. Schultess, Die syrischen Kanones der Synoden von Nicaea bis Chalcedon (1908), cited by page.

ClemRom EpCor = Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians, ed. R.L. Bensly and R.H. Kennett (1899), cite by page.

CyrAl Epp = Cyril of Alexandria, A Collection of Letters, ed. R. Ebied and L.R. Wickham (CSCO Scr Syri 157, 1975), cited by page.

HLk = Homilies on Luke, ed. J-B. Chabot (CSCO Scr. Syri 27; 1912), cited by page.

Thes = Thesaurus, in BL Add. 12,135 (AD 611).

CyrEd = Cyrus of Edessa [6th cent.], Six Explanations of the Liturgical Feasts, ed. W. Macomber (CSCO Scr. Syri 155; 1974), cited by page.

Dadisho‘ CAbIs = Dadisho‘ Qaṭraya [7th cent.], Commentaire du livre d’Abba Isaïe, ed. R. Draguet (CSCO Scr. Syri 144; 1972), cited by page.

DanSal CPs = Daniel of Salah [mid 6th cent.], Pushoq Mazmure [Commentary on Psalms], ed. J.Y. Çiçek (Monastery of Mor Ephrem, NL, 2004), cited by Psalm number. A critical edition by D.G.K. Taylor is in preparation; hence I cite by Psalm, rather than page, number.

A critical edition by D.G.K. Taylor is in preparation; hence I cite by Psalm, rather than page, number.

Didasc = Didascalia Apostolorum, I-II, ed. A. Vööbus (CSCO Scr. Syri 175, 179; 1979) cited by (continuous) page number.

DiyarbComm = Le Commentaire sur Genèse – Exode 9,32 du manuscript (olim) Diyarbakir 22, ed. L. van Rompay (CSCO Scr. Syri; 1986) cited by page.

DocMon = Documenta ad origines monophysitarum illustrandas, ed. J.-B. Chabot (CSCO Scr. Syri 17; 1908), cited by page.

Eliya = Eliya, Life of John of Tella in Vitae virorum apud monophysitas celeberrimorum, ed. E.W. Brooks (CSCO Scr. Syri 5; 1905), cited by page.

Ephes II = Acts of the Council of Ephesus, 449 (ms dated 535), ed. J. Flemming (1917).

Ephr = Ephrem, Hymns are cited from E.Beck’s editions in CSCO, by Hymn number and stanza.

CDiat, = Commentary on the Diatessaron, ed. L. Leloir (1961 and 1990).

CGenEx = Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, ed. R.M. Tonneau (CSCO Scr. Syri 71; 1955), quoted by section numbers.

Epiph W&M = Epiphanius, Weights and Measures, ed. J.E. Dean (1935).

EpMara = Letter of Mara bar Serapion [2nd/4th cent.], in W. Cureton, Spicelegium Syriacum (1855), cited by page.

Euseb Theophania = Eusebius, Theophania, ed. S. Lee (1842).

Evag = Evagrius, Letters and other texts in W. Frankenberg, Evagrius Ponticus (1912), cited by page or folio.

Cent = Évagre le pontique, Les six Centuries des Kephalaia Gnostica, ed. A. Guillaumont (PO 18.1; 1958), cited by Century and serial number.

GabrQat CLit NV = Gabriel Qatraya (6th/7th cent.), Commentary on the Liturgy, part ed. A. Neroth van Vogelpoel (2018); elsewhere cited by folio number of BL Or. 3336.

GeoAr Epp = George of the Arab Tribes [d.724], Letters, ed. J. Tannous. I am most grateful to Jack Tannous for the text of his edition of George’s Letters, in preparation.

I am most grateful to Jack Tannous for the text of his edition of George’s Letters, in preparation.

GregCyp = Gregory of Cyprus [6th/7th cent.], de theoria sancta, ed. I. Hausherr (1937).

Vat 123 = various works in Vatican Syr. 123.

GregNaz Disc = Gregory of Nazianzus, Discourses, ed. J-C. Haelewijk and A.B. Schmidt in Corpus Christianorum, Series Graeca, Corpus Nazianzenum, Versio Syriaca I-V (2001-2011). If both versions (S1 and S2) survive two page numbers are given, the lower representing S1 and the higher S2; for many Discourses only S2 is preserved.

If both versions (S1 and S2) survive two page numbers are given, the lower representing S1 and the higher S2; for many Discourses only S2 is preserved.

(I) Add 17146 = unpublished Discourses in the first translation, in Add. 17,146, cited by folio number.

(I) Add 18815 = unpublished Discourses in the first translation, in Add. 18,815, cited by folio number.

Iamboi = S. Gregorii Theologi Liber Carminum Iambicorum, I, ed. P.J. Bollig (1895), II, ed. H. Gismondi (1896), It is uncertain whether or not this is the translation by Candidatus, made in 665. cited by volume and page.

It is uncertain whether or not this is the translation by Candidatus, made in 665.

GregNys = Ep 38 = Letter 38, ed. M. Albert, Aram 5 (1993), 23-64, cited by page.

Vat 106 = various works in Vatican Syr. 106 (6th cent.), cited by folio number.

GregThaum AnSyr = Gregory Thaumaturgus, Letter to Theopompus, ed. P. de Lagarde, Analecta Syriaca (1858), cited by page.

InedSyr = Inedita Syriaca, ed. E. Sachau (1870), cited by page.

IsNin I = Isaac of Nineveh [7th cent.], de perfectione religiosa, ed. P. Bedjan (1909), cited by page.

II = ‘Second Part’, ch. 4-41, ed. S.P Brock (CSCO Scr. Syri 224; 1995), cited by Part, chapter and section.

II Keph = Kephalaia I-IV (unpubished) in Oxford, Bodl. Syr. e. 7, cited by Century and section number.

III = Terza Collezione, ed. S. Chialà (CSCO Scr. Syri 246; 2011), cited by part, chapter and section.

Ishai = Ishai [6th cent.], On the Martyrs, ed. A. Scher (PO 7.1; 1910), cited by page.

Isho‘yahb III Epp = Isho‘yahb III [d. 659], Liber epistularum, ed. R. Duval (CSCO Scr. Syri 11, 1904), cited by page.

JacEd CHexaem = Jacob of Edessa [d. 708], Commentary on the Hexaemeron, ed. J.-B. Chabot (CSCO 44; 1928), cited by page and column.

JacSer A = Jacob of Serugh [d.521], 160 Unpublished Homilies, I-II. ed. R. Akhrass and I. Syryany (Damascus, 2017), cited by homily and couplet number.

B = Homiliae Selectae Mar Jacobi Sarugensis, ed. P. Bedjan, I-V (1905-10), cited by volume and page.

Epp = Iacobi Sarugensis epistolae quotquot supersunt, ed. G. Olinder (CSCO Scr. Syri 57; 1937), cite by page.

Turg = Six homélies festales en prose, ed. F. Rilliet (PO 43.4; 1986), cited by Turgama number and section.

JnAp DreiTr = John of Apamea [5th cent.], Drei Traktate, ed. L.G. Rignell (1960), cited by page.

Epp = Briefe, ed. L.G. Rignell (1941), cited by page.

Soul = Dialogue on the Soul, ed. S. Dedering (1936), cited by page.

Add 18814 = unpublished works in BL Add. 18,814 (7th/8th cent.), cited by folio number.

JnApht VSev = John of Beth Aphtonia, Life of Severus, ed. M. Kugener (PO 2.3; 1904), cited by page.

JnChr HJn = Homilies on John, 1-43, ed. J. Childers (CSCO Scr. Syri 250; 2013), cited by page.

Add 12160, 14567, 17152 = Homilies on Pauline Epistles in BL Add. 12,160 (AD 584) 14,567 (6th cent.) and 17,152 (dated 594), cited by folio number.

JnEph HE = John of Ephesus [d.589], Historia Ecclesiastica, Part III, ed. E.W. Brooks (CSCO Scr. Syri 54; 1935), cited by page.

Lives = Lives of the Eastern Saints, ed. E.W. Brooks (PO 17.1, 18.4, 19.2; 1923-4), cited by continuous page number.

JnPhenek = John of Phenek [7th cent.], Rish Melle, ed. A. Mingana, Sources syriaques (1903), cited by page.

JnPhilop Arbiter, = John Philoponus [d. c. 575], Arbiter, ed. A. Sanda (1930).

JnRuf Pleroph = John Rufus, Plérophories, ed.F. Nau (PO 8.1; 1911), cited by page.

JnSed = John I, of the Sedre [d. 648], surviving works ed. J. Martikainen (GOFS 34, 1991)

LibGrad = Liber Graduum, ed. M. Kmosko, Patrologia Syriaca I.iii (1926).

LibHeracl = Liber Heracleidis, ed. P. Bedjan (1910), cited by page.

MarkMonk = Mark the Monk, Discourses in BL Add. 12,175 (dated 544).

MonophTexts = Monophysite Texts of the Sixth Century, ed. A. van Roey and P. Allen (OLA 56; 1994), cited by page.

Nars = Narsai [d. c500], ed. A. Mingana (1905), cited by volume and page.

Fr = Homilies ed. J. Frishman (Six Biblical Homilies; Diss. Leiden, 1992). cited by homily number and line.

PP = Homilies, I-II, ed. Patriarchal Press (San Francisco, 1970), cited by volume and page number. For correspondences between the various editions see A.M. Butts, K.S. Heal and S.P. Brock, Clavis to the Metrical Homilies of Narsai (CSCO Subs 142; 2020), and, earlier, Hugoye 12:1 (2010), 21-40.

For correspondences between the various editions see A.M. Butts, K.S. Heal and S.P. Brock, Clavis to the Metrical Homilies of Narsai (CSCO Subs 142; 2020), and, earlier, Hugoye 12:1 (2010), 21-40.

Pachom Asket = Pachomius, Asketikon, ed. Bedjan, AMS V, 122-76 (in ms of 544).

PaulPers (Land) = Paul the Persian [6th cent.], in Anecdota Syriaca IV, 1-32, ed. J.P.N. Land (1875), cited by page.

PaulPers tr SevSeb = Paul, On de Interpretatione, ed. H. Hugonnard-Roche, Graeco-Arabica 3 (2013), 48-66, quoted by section.

PetKal = Peter of Kallinikos [d.591], Against Damian, ed. R. Ebied, L. Wickham and A. van Roey (CCSG 29 [= Book II], 32 [= Book III, 1-xix] 35 [= Book III xx-xxxiv], 54 [= Book III xxxv-l]; 1994-2003), cited by Book, chapter and line.

Philox CMtLk = Philoxenus [d. 523], Fragments of the Commenatary on Matthew and Luke, ed. J.W. Watt (CSCO Scr. Syri 171; 1978), cited by page.

CProlJn = Commentaire du Prologue johannique, ed. A. de Halleux (CSCO Scr. Syri 165; 1977), cited by page.

Disc = The Discourses of Philoxenus, I, ed. E.A.W. Budge (1893), cited by page.

EpSen = Letter to the Monks of Senun, ed. A. de Halleux (CSCO Scr. Syri 98; 1963), cited by page.

DissDecem = Dissertationes decem de Uno e Sancta Trinitate incorporato et passo, ed. M. Brière and F. Graffin (PO 15-41; 1920-82), cited by volume and page.

TrTres =Tractatus tres de Trinitate et Incarnatione, ed. A. Vaschalde (CSCO Scr. Syri 9; 1907), cited by page.

Pitra, AnalSac = excerpted texts in J.-B. Pitra (ed.), Analecta Sacra IV (1883), cited by page.

Porph = Porphyry, Eisagoge (sixth-cent. tr,), ed. S.P. Brock in Journal of the Iraqi Academy, Syriac Corporation 12 (1988), 315-66.

rev AthBal = revised tr. [of 645] by Athanasius of Balad in Vat. Syr. 158.

Probus (Hoffmann) = Probus [6th cent.], Commentary on Aristotle, de interpretatione, ed. J.G.E.Hoffmann (1869), cited by page.

Add 14660 = Comm. on de interpretatione, cited by folio.

CEisag – Commentary on Porphyry’s Eisagoge in Mingana Syr. 606, ff.1-28, cited by folio.

PsDion DN = Ps-Dionysius, Divine Names, ed. E. Fiori (CSCO Scr. Syri 252; 2014), cited by chapter and section number.

Myron = Ps-Dionysius, On the Myron, ed. W. Strothmann (GOFS 34; 1991).

Sin 52 = Ps-Dionysius, unpublished sections in Sinai Syr. 52.

PsNonnus = Ps-Nonnus, Mythological Scholia (attached to 4 homilies by Gregory of Nazianzus), ed. S.P. Brock (1970), cited by Homily title and section number.

PsZach = Ps-Zacharias, Historia Ecclesiastica, I-II, ed. E.W. Brooks (CSCO 38, 41; 1921, 1924), cited by volume and page.

Sahdona = Sahdona [6th/7th cent.], Oeuvres spirituelles, I-IV, ed. A. de Halleux (CSCO Scr. Syri 86, 90, 110, 112; 1960-65), cited by volume and page.

SergResh Introd = Sergius of Resh‘aina [d.536], Introduction to translation of PsDionysius, ed. P. Sherwood, L’Orient Syrien 5 (1960), 433-62; 6 (1961), 95-115, 121-56, cited by page number.

Sev cGramm = Severus of Antioch, Contra impium Grammaticum,I-III, ed. J. Lebon (CSCO 45, 50, 58; 1929-38), cited by page.

cJul = La polémique anti-julianiste, I-III, ed.R. Hespel (CSCO Scr. Syri 104, 124, 126, 136; 1964-71), cited by volume and page.

CollLett = A Collection of Letters, ed. E.W. Brooks (PO 12.2 and 14.1; 1916, 1920), cited by volume and page.

Hom = Cathedral Homilies, ed. Brière, Graffin et alii (PO 4-36; 1906-72), cited by volume and page.

Add 14599 = first translation of Homilies in Add. 14,599 (AD 569), cited by folio number.

Vat 142, 143 = first translation of Homilies in Vatican Syr. 142 and 143, cited by folio number.

Hymns = The Hymns of Severus and Others, I-II, ed. E.W. Brooks (PO 6.1, 7.5; 1910-11), cited by page.

SelLett = Select Letters, ed. E.W. Brooks, The Sixth Book of the Select Letters of Severus, I.i-ii (1902-4), cited by page.

SevSeb = Severus Sebokht [d. 666/7], On the Constellations, ed. F. Nau, in Revue de l’Orient Chrétien 27 (1929/30), 327-410, 28 (1932/3), 85-100, cited by page.

Add 17156 = Severus Sebokht, Letters in BL Add. 17,156A. That to Yonan (ff. 5v-11r) is edited by H. Hugonnard-Roche, Studia Graeco-Arabica 5 (2015), 53-104.

That to Yonan (ff. 5v-11r) is edited by H. Hugonnard-Roche, Studia Graeco-Arabica 5 (2015), 53-104.

Scholia = Scholia on Gregory of Nazianzus, ed. I. Isebaert-Cauuet, in A.B. Schmidt (ed.), Studia Nazianzenica II (2010), cited by page.

ShemTayb = Shem‘on d-Ṭaybuteh [7th cent.], ed. A. Mingana (WS VII), cited by page and column number.

Shubhal = Shubḥalmaran [6th/7th cent], The Book of Gifts, ed. D. Lane (CSCO Scr. Syri 236; 204).

Sophron EpArcad = Sophronius, Lettre à Arcadius de Chypre, ed. M. Albert (PO 39.2; 1978), cited by section number.

Syh = Syrohexapla, ed. de Lagarde/Rahlfs, and Ceriani.

Synodicon = The Synodicon in the West Syrian Tradition, I-II, ed. A. Vööbus (CSCO Scr. Syri 161, 163; 1975-6).

SynodOr = Synodicon Orientale ed. J.B. Chabot (1902), cited by page.

TheodMops CatHom= Theodore of Mopsuestia, Catechetical Homilies, ed. A. Mingana, WS V-VI (1932-3), cited by volume and page.

CJn = Commentary on John, ed. J.-M. Vosté (CSCO Scr. Syri 62; 1940), cited by page.

ThomEd = Thomas of Edessa [6th cent.], On the Nativity, ed. S.J. Carr (1898).

TitBostra = Titus of Bostra, Against the Manichaeans, ed. P. de Lagarde (1859), cited by page.

VAhudemmeh = Life of Aḥudemmeh, ed. F. Nau (PO 3.1, 7-51), cited by page.

VEphr = Life of Ephrem, ed. J. Amar (CSCO Scr. Syri 242; 2011), cited by chapter and section number.

WS VII = A. Mingana, Early Christian Mystics (Woodbrooke Studies VII; 1934), cited by page and column.

ZachR VSev = Zacharias Rhetor, Life of Severus, ed M. Kugener (PO 2.1; 1904), cited by page.

The approximate date of the earliest attested occurrence in a Syriac author is given in roman numeral (e.g. V, VI/VII etc.) denoting the century; in several cases the date of the earliest translation (TR) witness may well be earlier (e.g. s.v. ananqaya). Where a lexeme is only attested in translation(s) a date in brackets is given if an approximate date is known; this will be the case, for example, where the earlier versions of Gregory of Nazianzus’ Discourses and Severus’ Homilies (or his polemic with Julian of Halicarnassus) are available.

The symbol ♰ denotes adjectives based on biblical names (or, occasionally, places).

Sahdona II 75; Dad CAbIs XIII.3.

At Ephr cHaer 11:11, where Beck’s edition has ܒܥܝܪ̈ܝܐ , the metre indicates that the original reading was ܒܥܪ̈ܝܪܝܐ , which has been preserved in his manuscript A.

post VII

Post VII

ܟܘܠܢܝܐ

(ܟܠܢܝܐ)

ܡܪܢܝܐ

(ܡܪܐܢܝܐ)

But IV as a noun, ‘layman’ much earlier (e.g. Ephr CDiat XIII.18).

From Ephrem (e.g. Nat 24:19) onwards this form regularly describes the Shem‘on of Luke 7, and does not have the sense of ‘Pharisaic’, as in Sahdona.

See Introduction.

ܬܐܕܐܝܐ

ܬܫܪܝـܝܐ

(ܬܫܪܝܢܝܐ)

These adjectival forms can be distributed in chronological sequence as follows (underlined forms would seem to be particularly significant for the purpose of suggesting dates for undated texts):

ܐܚܪܝܐ ܐܝܚܝܕܝܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ ܐܢܫܝܐ ܐܪܥܢܝܐ ܒܝܬܝܐ ܒܟܝܪܝܐ ܒܪܝܐ ܓܘܝܐ ܒܪܢܝܐ ܓܪܡܢܝܐ ܗܦܟܝܐ ܚܦܝܝܐ ܠܩܝܫܝܐ ܡܕܒܪܝܐ ܡܠܟܝܐ ܡܨܥܝܐ ܢܘܓܗܝܐ ܢܘܟܪܝܐ ܢܦܢܫܝܐ ܣܬܘܝܐ ܥܠܡܝܐ ܥܠܡܢܝܐ ܦܓܪܢܝܐ ܦܘܬܩܝܐ ܦܣܝܩܝܐ ܦܪܢܘܫܝܐ ܩܕܝܡܝܐ ܩܝܛܝܐ ܪܓܠܝܐ ܪܘܚܢܝܐ ܫܪܘܝܐ ܬܚܬܝܐ

ܐܠܝܩܐ ܐܪܙܢܝܐ ܒܣܪܢܝܐ ܓܘܫܡܢܝܐ ܕܠܩܘܒܠܝܐ ܙܐܦܢܝܐ ܙܒܢܢܝܐ ܚܝܘܬܢܝܐ ܚܪܡܢܝܐ ܛܘܪܝܐ ܟܝܢܝܐ ܡܪܝܕܝܐ ܡܬܘܡܝܐ ܡܣܟܢܝܐ ܢܘܗܪܢܝܐ ܢܘܪܢܝܐ ܢܡܘܣܝܐ ܣܩܘܒܠܝܐ ܥܕܬܢܝܐ? ܥܘܡܩܝܐ ܥܦܪܢܝܐ ܦܢܛܣܝܝܐ ܩܘܪܝܝܐ ܨܒܝܢܝܐ ܬܒܝܠܝܐ

ܐܒܗܝܐ ܐܘܪܓܢܝܐ ܐܚܪܢܝܐ ܐܝܬܝܝܐ ܐܟܣܢܝܐ ܐܪܓܘܢܝܐ ܒܬܘܠܝܐ ܓܒܪܢܝܐ ܓܘܢܝܐ ܕܝܠܝܐ ܛܗܪܝܐ ܝܡܝܢܝܐ ܟܗܢܝܐ ܠܚܘܕܝܐ ܡܠܐܟܝܐ ܡܪܢܝܐ ܢܩܒܝܐ ܢܩܒܢܝܐ ܥܕܢܝܐ ܥܠܡܝܢܝܐ ܥܪܛܠܝܐ ܥܪܝܩܝܐ ܦܝܠܣܘܦܝܐ ܦܪܘܩܝܐ ܩܘܪܝܝܐ ܩܢܘܢܝܐ ܫܠܝܚܝܐ

ܐܒܠܢܝܐ ܐܘܡܢܝܐ ܐܘܣܝܝܐ ܐܘܪܓܢܝܐ ܐܝ̇ܠܢܝܐ ܐܝܢܝܐ ܐܠܨܝܐ ܐܢܠܘܛܝܩܝܐ ܐܢܢܩܝܐ ܐܣܛܘܟܣܝܐ ܐܣܦܝܪܝܐ ܐܦܘܦܛܝܩܝܐ ܐܪܛܝܩܝܐ ܐܪܫܟܝܐ ܒܠܢܝܐ ܒܪܒܪܝܐ ܒܪܩܢܝܐ ܓܒܪܝܐ ܓܕܫܢܝܐ ܓܘܓܝܐ ܓܘܙܢܝܐ ܓܢܣܢܝܐ ܓܦܢܝܐ ܕܒܫܢܝܐ ܕܝܠܢܝܐ ܕܝܠܛܝܩܝܐ ܗܓܓܝܐ ܗܪܛܝܩܝܐ ܙܒܢܝܐ ܙܘܓܢܝܐ ܙܝܙܢܝܐ ܚܐܪܝܐ ܚܘܒܢܝܐ ܚܠܡܢܝܐ ܚܢܦܝܐ ܚܫܘܟܝܐ ܛܘܒܢܝܐ ܛܘܦܣܢܝܐ ܟܘܠܢܝܐ ܠܠܝܝܐ ܡܢܬܝܐ ܡܢܬܢܝܐ ܢܒܝܝܐ ܢܝܣܢܝܐ ܣܐܡܝܐ ܣܓܝܐܢܝܐ ܣܗܪܝܐ ܣܘܡܩܪܝܐ ܣܘܥܪܢܝܐ ܣܛܢܝܐ ܣܟܢܝܐ ܣܪܘܚܝܐ ܥܝܕܢܝܐ ܥܨܝܢܝܐ ܦܐܪܝܐ ܦܠܐܬܢܝܐ ܦܪܘܣܕܝܡܪܝܣܡܢܝܐ ܩܢܘܢܝܐ ܩܨܘܡܝܐ ܪܛܘܪܝܩܝܐ ܪܥܡܢܝܐ ܫܐܕܢܝܐ ܫܒܝܠܝܐ ܫܒܪܝܐ ܫܒܬܝܐ ܫܡܫܝܐ ܫܡܫܢܝܐ ܬܘܥܠܢܝܐ ܬܦܢܝܩܝܐ

ܐܐܪܝܐ ܐܕܡܘܣܝܐ ܐܘܝܢܝܐ ܐܡܗܝܐ ܐܡܪܝܐ ܐܣܟܘܠܝܐ ܐܣܦܝܪܝܢܝܐ ܐܦܣܩܘܦܝܐ ܐܪܟܘܝܐ ܐܪܬܕܘܟܣܝܐ ܒܥܝܪܝܐ ܒܥܝܪܬܢܝܐ ܗܕܝܝܐ ܗܘܠܝܐ ܗܘܠܢܝܐ ܚܠܢܝܐ ܚܡܬܢܝܐ ܚܫܢܝܐ ܛܘܪܢܝܐ ܛܠܝܘܬܢܝܐ ܬܶܠܢܝܐ ܝܡܡܝܐ ܟܬܒܝܐ ܠܒܢܝܐ ܡܕܝܢܝܐ ܡܕܥܢܝܐ ܡܠܬܢܝܐ ܢܚܫܝܐ ܢܦܫܝܐ ܢܫܡܬܢܝܐ ܣܘܢܗܘܕܝܩܝܐ ܣܝܡܝܘܢܝܐ ܥܕܝܝܐ ܥܘܒܢܝܐ ܥܘܪܠܝܐ ܥܠܝܡܝܐ ܥܢܘܝܐ ܥܢܢܝܐ ܥܪܦܠܝܐ ܦܘܩܕܢܝܐ ܦܣܝܩܝܐ ܦܪܨܘܦܝܐ ܩܘܫܬܢܝܐ ܪܒܝܨܢܝܐ ܪܓܘܙܝܐ ܪܓܫܢܝܐ ܪܓܬܢܝܐ ܪܥܝܢܝܐ ܫܝܬܢܝܐ ܬܒܘܢܝܐ

ܐܓܘܪܣܝܐ ܘܡܢܝܐ ܐܠܘܨܝܐ ܐܢܫܢܝܐ ܐܣܘܛܝܐ ܐܣܛܘܟܣܝܐ ܐܣܛܘܢܝܐ ܐܣܦܘܓܝܐ ܐܣܦܝܣܝܐ ܐܦܘܕܝܩܛܝܩܝܐ ܐܦܝܬܪܘܢܝܐ ܐܬܪܢܝܐ ܒܪܒܣܬܪܝܐ ܒܪܘܝܢܝܐ ܒܪܝܫܝܬܝܐ ܓܐܘܡܛܪܝܩܝܐ ܓܓܪܢܝܐ ܓܘܦܣܢܝܐ ܓܝܢܕܢܝܐ ܕܐܒܝܐ ܕܗܒܝܐ ܕܗܒܢܝܐ ܕܟܪܢܝܐ ܕܡܝܝܐ ܕܡܢܝܐ ܕܩܢܢܝܐ ܗܘܢܢܝܐ ܗܦܩܛܝܩܝܐ ܙܩܝܦܝܐ ܚܙܝܪܝܐ ܚܛܘܦܝܐ ܚܠܒܢܝܐ ܚܠܢܝܐ ܚܡܳܪܝܐ ܚܣܢܝܐ ܛܘܒܬܢܝܐ ܛܝܒܘܬܢܝܐ ܛܝܢܝܐ ܛܰܠܢܝܐ ܛܪܘܢܝܐ ܛܪܢܝܐ ܝܒܫܢܝܐ ܝܘܒܠܢܝܐ ܝܘܠܦܢܝܐ ܝܡܝܐ ܝܬܢܝܐ ܟܐܦܢܝܐ ܟܪܘܚܝܐ ܟܘܪܟܡܢܝܐ ܟܡܢܝܐ ܟܪܣܛܝܢܝܐ ܠܗܓܢܝܐ ܡܕܒܪܢܝܐ ܡܘܬܝܐ ܡܘܬܪܢܝܐ ܚܙܝܬܢܝܐ ܡܛܪܦܘܠܝܛܝܐ ܡܠܦܢܝܐ ܡܥܒܕܢܝܐ ܡܬܡܛܝܩܝܐ ܡܬܪܓܡܢܝܐ ܢܗܪܝܐ ܢܨܒܬܢܝܐ ܢܩܒܬܢܝܐ ܣܒܬܢܝܐ ܣܓܘܠܝܐ ܣܘܘܚܝܐ ܣܚܘܦܝܐ ܣܛܪܢܝܐ ܣܡܠܬܢܝܐ ܣܦܝܠܝܐ ܥܒܕܝܐ ܥܕܳܢܝܐ ܥܗܢܝܐ ܥܡܕܝܐ ܥܣܒܢܝܐ ܥܩܒܢܝܐ ܥܪܝܨܝܐ ܦܐܪܐܕܝܓܡܛܝܩܝܐ ܦܛܪܝܪܟܝܐ ܦܩܚܝܐ ܦܪܘܚܝܐ ܨܘܪܬܢܝܐ ܨܦܪܝܐ ܩܐܛܐܦܛܝܩܝܐ ܩܛܝܓܘܪܝܩܝܐ ܩܝܣܘܒܢܝܐ ܩܠܝܐ ܩܢܘܒܝܐ ܩܪܣܛܠܘܣܝܐ ܩܪܝܬܢܝܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝܐ ܪܓܬܝܐ ܪܗܒܘܢܝܐ ܪܝܫܢܝܐ ܪܥܝܝܐ ܪܦܦܝܐ ܫܒܗܪܢܝܐ ܫܒܠܢܝܐ ܫܘܠܛܢܝܐ ܫܘܬܦܝܐ ܫܠܘܝܐ ܫܢܬܢܝܐ ܫܩܝܦܝܐ ܫܬܢܝܐ ܬܕܐܢܝܐ ܬܢܢܝܐ ܬܪܥܝܬܢܝܐ ܬܫܝܬܢܝܐ ܬܫܪܝܢܝܐ

Many, however, are quite likely to turn up in due course in hitherto unpublished Syriac authors from this period; others are attested from later Syriac authors.

(a) 5th cent.

ܡܪܝܕܝܐ ܥܘܡܩܝܐ

(b) 6th cent.

ܐܕܫܝܐ ܐܚܝܐ ܐܚܢܝܐ ܐܚܝܢܝܐ ܐܝܼܠܢܝܐ ܐܟܘܠܝܐ ؟ܐܪܢܒܝܐ ܐܬܝܪܝܐ ܐܬܠܝܛܝܐ ܓܕܫܢܝܐ ܓܘܓܝܐ ܓܦܢܝܐ ܕܡܥܢܝܐ ܙܒܝܢܝܐ ܙܒܢܝܐ ܙܪܝܒܝܐ ܚܓܓܝܐ ܛܘܒܢܝܐ ܛܠܝܘܣܝܐ ܝܕܥܬܢܝܐ ܟܐܦܝܐ ܟܢܫܝܐ ܟܪܘܟܝܐ ܟܬܝܒܝܐ ܠܗܓܝܐ ܡܘܣܘܩܪܝܐ ܡܫܝܢܝܐ ܢܫܝܐ ܣܘܟܢܝܐ ܣܘܦܣܛܝܐ ܥܐܕܢܝܐ ܥܡܠܝܐ ܥܪܘܩܝܐ ܩܛܘܠܝܐ ܩܪܒܬܢܝܐ ܪܘܫܡܢܝܐ ܬܐܛܪܝܐ ܬܒܢܝܐ ܬܟܫܦܝܐ ܬܠܓܢܝܐ

(c) 7th cent.

ܐܕܡܢܛܝܐ ܐܕܫܢܝܐ ܐܘܠܨܢܝܐ ܐܣܘܛܝܐ ܐܣܛܘܟܣܢܝܐ ܐܣܝܝܐ ܐܪܚܝܐ ܒܒܘܣܝܐ ܒܛܝܢܝܐ ܒܠܚܘܕܢܝܐ ܒܣܡܝܐ ܒܥܠܕܒܒܝܐ ܓܘܡܕܢܝܐ ܓܢܣܝܐ ܓܪܡܦܝܠܝܐ ܕܒܚܢܝܐ ܕܘܓܡܛܝܩܝܐ ܕܝܪܝܐ ܕܡܘܣܝܐ ܗܘܢܝܐ ܙܢܝܝܐ ܙܪܥܝܐ ܚܓܢܝܐ ܚܝܘܬ ܫܢܝܐ ܚܪܝܢܝܐ ܚܫܚܬܢܝܐ ܛܰܘܪܢܝܐ ܛܝܦܝܐ ܝܘܩܢܬܢܝܐ ܝܘܬܪܢܝܐ ܝܡܝܐ ܟܘܟܒܢܝܐ ܟܘܪܗܢܝܐ ܟܟܪܢܝܐ ܠܒܢܢܝܐ ܠܣܛܝܝܐ ܡܘܣܝܩܝܐ ܡܠܘܣܝܐ ܡܥܠܬܢܝܐ ܡܩܪܒܢܝܐ ܡܪܚܩܢܝܐ ܡܫܟܢܝܐ ܡܫܡܫܢܝܐ ܡܠܬܝܐ ܡܠܬܢܝܐ ܢܘܪܝܐ ܢܘܫܩܬܢܝܐ ܣܒܝܐ ܣܒܬܝܐ ܣܗܪܢܝܐ ܣܘܢܩܢܝܐ ܣܘܦܣܛܝܩܝܐ ܣܡܠܝܐ ܣܡܩܪܝܐ ܣܥܘܪܝܐ ܥܒܕܢܝܐ ܥܝܘܩܬܢܝܐ ܥܡܛܢܝܐ ܥܡܡܝܐ ܥܢܦܝܐ ܦܕܓܘܓܝܐ ܦܘܠܝܛܝܩܝܐ ܦܚܪܝܐ ܦܠܚܝܐ ܦܩܥܬܝܐ ܨܚܘܢܝܐ ܨܝܕܝܐ ܩܒܥܝܐ ܩܘܡܝܕܝܐ ܩܘܡܝܩܝܐ ܩܘܪܒܢܝܐ ܩܛܝܪܢܝܐ ܩܠܢܝܐ ܩܢܬܠܝܐ ܩܦܝܠܝܐ ܩܪܒܝܐ ܩܪܩܘܪܝܐ ܪܓܠܢܝܐ ܪܘܓܙܢܝܐ ܪܚܝܝܐ ܪܚܡܝܐ ܪܝܫܓܘܢܝܝܐ ܪܝܫ ܟܗܢܝܐ ܪܡܟܝܐ ܫܒܪܢܝܐ ܫܘܥܝܬܢܝܐ ܫܝܢܝܐ ܫܝܫܠܢܝܐ ܫܥܝܢܝܐ ܫܥܢܝܐ ܫܦܪܝܐ ܫܪܒܬܢܝܐ

(a) 5th century

ܐܕܡܝܐ

(b) 5th/6th century

ܐܗܪܘܢܝܐ ܐܘܪܫܠܡܝܐ

(c) 6th/7th century

ܐܝܙܒܠܝܐ ܐܝܙܪܥܠܝܐ ܝܫܘܥܝܐ

(d) 7th century

ܐܒܪܗܡܝܐ ܐܝܪܝܚܘܢܝܐ

(e) 7th/8th century

ܕܘܝܕܝܐ

The ever increasing number of newly attested forms in each of the periods is striking: period V/VI in particular marks a turning point in the rate of increase which culminates in the periods VI/VII and VII. This is certainly not just due to the number of surviving texts available for the different periods, although this is a factor that always needs to be taken into consideration. The turn of the fifth/sixth century also happens to be the turning point in the history of translation practice, See, e.g. Brock, ‘Towards a history of Syriac translation technique’, in R. Lavenant (ed.), III Symposium Syriacum (OCA 221; 1983), 1-14, here 11. at least as far as authoritative texts are concerned, for it marks the fundamental shift from a reader- to a text-oriented approach to translation. One of the consequences of this will be a desire to reflect the grammatical categories of the Greek originals more closely, thus creating a need for new Syriac adjectival forms to correspond to the higher frequency of the presence of adjectives in Greek writings. Evidence of experimentation by translators can be seen from a small number of forms which never caught on, such as nuraya (in contrast to nuranaya).

See, e.g. Brock, ‘Towards a history of Syriac translation technique’, in R. Lavenant (ed.), III Symposium Syriacum (OCA 221; 1983), 1-14, here 11.

A surprising feature which emerges from these Tables is the large number of new forms to be found in East Syriac authors of the VI/VII and VII periods, only a few of which are also (so far) attested in earlier translations from Greek. A noticeable presence amongst these new adjectives are forms in –tanaya; earlier forms are all extensions of feminine nouns, such as ‘idta > ‘idtanaya, but in the last two periods, not only are new examples attested, but an extension is made by analogy to include other suffixed forms in –tana, the most notable case being (ṭubana>) ṭubtana > ṭubtanaya.

One further notable feature is worth observing, namely the extension of forms in –aya to include biblical names and places: the earliest to be attested is adamaya, found quite a number of times in Narsai, but the extension to other names only comes with the sixth century and later. Similarly, adjectives which take their origin in biblical passages are first attested in the seventh century (see under ḥalanaya, ‘built on sand’, cf. Matt. 7:26), while their growth in frequency belongs to the eighth century onwards.

As mentioned at the outset, the prime reason for providing the present repertory was to provide a reasonably firm chronological framework for the expansion of these adjectival forms, certain ones of which can usefully serve as one of several different criteria available for dating works which are either undated or of uncertain authenticity. A few instances of cases where this criterion could be helpfully applied were given in the earlier article, ‘A criterion for dating undated Syriac texts’, the most dramatic of which was the tell-tale presence of five adjectival forms in –aya dilaya, isho‘aya, kahanaya, maranaya and ‘idtanaya. in one of Narsai’s liturgical memre (ed, Mingana, no. 17), none of which are to be found in any other memre by Narsai, and all of which are subsequent innovations. It would not be difficult to apply this criterion to other texts with informative results, but this must await another occasion – and for others to apply it. Looked at from a much wider perspective, the evidence presented here also serves as an illustration of one of the ways in which Syriac literary culture became more and more Hellenized over the course of the fourth to early eighth century. Cf. Brock, “Charting the Hellenization of a literary culture: the case of Syriac”, Intellectual History of the Islamicate World 3 (2015), 113-5.

dilaya, isho‘aya, kahanaya, maranaya and ‘idtanaya.

Cf. Brock, “Charting the Hellenization of a literary culture: the case of Syriac”, Intellectual History of the Islamicate World 3 (2015), 113-5.