Suriyani Malayalam
| Suriyāni Malayalam | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | South India |
| Linguistic classification | Dravidian
|
| Language codes | |
| Suriyāni Malayalam alphabet | |
|---|---|
| Script type | |
| Languages | Aramaic (Classical Syriac), Malayalam (Syro-Malabarica), |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | Egyptian hieroglyphs
|
| Unicode | |
| |
Suriyani Malayalam (സുറിയാനി മലയാളം, ܣܘܪܝܢܝ ܡܠܝܠܡ), also known as Karshoni, Syro-Malabarica or Syriac Malayalam, is a dialect of Malayalam written in a variant form of the Syriac alphabet which was popular among the Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Syrian Christians or Nasranis) of Kerala in India. It uses Malayalam grammar, the Maḏnḥāyā or "Eastern" Syriac script with special orthographic features, and vocabulary from Malayalam and East Syriac. This originated in the South Indian region of the Malabar Coast (modern-day Kerala). Until the 19th century, the script was widely used by Syrian Christians in Kerala.