Western Neo-Aramaic

Western Neo-Aramaic (ܐܰܪܳܡܰܝ, arōmay, "Aramaic"), more commonly referred to as Siryon (ܣܪܝܘܢ, siryōn, "Syriac"), is a modern variety of the Western Aramaic branch consisting of three closely related dialects. Today, it is spoken in Syria by Christian and Muslim Arameans (Syriacs) in only three villages – Maaloula, Jubb'adin and Bakhʽa – in western Syria, 56 km northeast of Damascus. Bakhʽa was vastly destroyed during the Syrian civil war and most of the community fled to other parts of Syria or Lebanon. Western Neo-Aramaic is believed to be one of the closest living languages to the language of Jesus, whose first language, according to scholarly consensus, was Galilean Aramaic belonging to the Western branch as well; all other remaining Neo-Aramaic languages are Eastern Aramaic.