This talk was delivered in Gothenburg, Sweden, during the Assyrian European Convention, a community summit organized by the Assyrian Confederation of Europe (ACE)—the umbrella body for Assyrian national federations across Europe.
We must keep our language alive
This talk was delivered in Gothenburg, Sweden, during the Assyrian European Convention, a community summit organized by the Assyrian Confederation of Europe (ACE)—the umbrella body for Assyrian national federations across Europe. The convention brand was launched in Gothenburg and has served as a platform for strategy, culture, and policy dialogue among European Assyrians.
In “We must keep our language alive,” Prof. Dr. Efrem Yildiz—Full Professor in the Department of Hebrew and Aramaic Studies, University of Salamanca—lays out a practical blueprint to safeguard the language across generations.
He begins by clarifying terminology (Assyrian/Aramaic) and mapping the principal historical phases of the language—from ancient and imperial usage to the later eastern/western split and modern varieties—showing how administrative needs and script choices shaped transmission.
Turning to the present, Prof. Yildiz addresses the realities of diaspora bilingualism. True continuity, he argues, requires more than conversational fluency: learners need literacy, analytical skills, and cultural anchoring so they feel the language as their own. Drawing on the Salamanca model, he presents an integrated pathway—language, literature, history, and texts—paired with cultural modules (traditions, music, dance, foodways) and supported by purpose-built materials, including his recent grammar of modern Assyrian. The goal is professional formation: graduates ready to teach, research, and write in the language.
He closes with a clear call to action: invest in people and programs—scholarships, teacher training, curricula, and community–university partnerships—so the living, modern language thrives alongside classical study. This vision aligns directly with the mission of the Nineveh Academic Chair to strengthen scholarship, teaching, and public engagement in Assyrian studies.
If you care about language continuity and want a concrete plan—from home strategies to university pathways—don’t miss Prof. Yildiz’s full presentation on YouTube.
