Locale Syr Sy

Reference data for the Syriac (Syria) locale — endonym ܣܘܪܝܝܐ (ܣܘܪܝܐ), written in the Syriac script, right-to-left (RTL).

Identifiers

• BCP 47 tag: syr-SY
• ISO 639-1: not assigned
• ISO 639-3: syr
• Script: Syrc (Syriac)
• Region: SY (Syria)
• Text direction: rtl — right-to-left (RTL)

Speakers (approximate)

• L1 (native): 15,000
• L2 (additional): 5,000
• L1+L2 (total): 20,000

Set dir="rtl" for this locale (per Locale's text-direction guidance) rather than assuming left-to-right layout.

Pluralization

CLDR plural categories for this locale: one, other (2 forms).

• one — n = 1 (e.g. 1)
• other — everything else (e.g. 0, 2~16, 100, 1000, …)

See Unicode Messageformat for writing plural messages using these categories.

Translating into this locale

Syriac (ܣܘܪܝܝܐ) is a Semitic language of the Aramaic family, written in the Syriac script from right to left. The tag syr covers Classical Syriac (the liturgical and literary language) and Neo-Aramaic varieties such as Suret (Assyrian) and Turoyo. Confirm the variety and the script style (Estrangela, Serto, or Madnhaya) before translating. This guidance is lower-confidence; have a native reviewer check it.

Translate ideas, not words.

• Classical Syriac is a literary and liturgical language; modern speakers use Neo-Aramaic. Translate into the variety and register the audience reads.
• Do not translate through Arabic. Use established Syriac terminology from church and community institutions where it exists.
• Re-express idioms by meaning.

Grammar.

• Syriac is built on three-consonant roots with verb patterns. Gender (masculine, feminine) and number agree; the emphatic state marks definiteness in classical writing.

Orthography and typography.

• The script is cursive and right to left. Western Syriac (Serto) uses small Greek-derived vowel signs; Eastern Syriac (Madnhaya) uses dot vowels. Use the style the community reads, and consistent Unicode text (U+0700 to U+074F).
• Syriac has its own punctuation marks in the Unicode Syriac block; use them rather than Latin or Arabic marks. Digits are Western or Arabic-Indic by convention.

Common pitfalls

• Using the wrong script style for the community.
• Using Arabic punctuation or look-alike letters.
• Breaking right-to-left display.

Learn more

• Locale for BCP 47 identifiers, locale-sensitive formatting, pluralization, and text-direction concepts that apply across all locales.
• Unicode Messageformat for writing plural/selection messages correctly for this locale's grammar.
• Unicode Standard, Syriac block
• Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute