Miracles of Saint Ephrem

Open Book Publishers, pp. 785–822

Abstract

The article explores the Neo-Aramaic dialect of Umra d-Shish, a village in northern Iraq, and the legends surrounding Saint Ephrem’s miracles. It provides a detailed transcription and translation of a text recounting healings and other miraculous events attributed to Saint Ephrem, including the curing of mental illness and the granting of fertility to childless women. The study examines linguistic features such as phonological shifts, morphological markers, and syntactic structures that are characteristic of the dialect, including the preservation of certain archaic forms. It also highlights the influence of Kurdish and Arabic on the dialect and the socio-religious context of the legends, shedding light on the role of language in preserving communal identity and oral traditions.

Authors 1

1. Paul M. Noorlander corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University