Dr. Hind Fathy launches YouTube channel to teach Syriac Language

CAIRO — Interest in the Syriac language is not limited to Western countries; calls to preserve and promote the language have been growing across several nations in Beth Nahrin and the broader the Middle East as well. In addition to the efforts of Saudi researcher Loay Al-Sharif in studying the Syriac language and tracing the roots of languages derived from it—such as Arabic—a new voice has emerged: that of Egyptian scholar Dr. Hind Fathy.

Dr. Fathy, who holds a doctorate in Syriac language from the Faculty of Arts at Tanta University and teaches at the Syriac Online School, spoke about her academic journey and her passion for Syriac language and literature in an interview with Father Ayoub Estephan, priest of the Syriac Orthodox Churches of Mar Mattai and Mar Abraham in Sweden. During the interview, Dr. Fathy stated that she earned her PhD in Syriac on October 17, 2021. She explained that she transitioned from studying Hebrew to Syriac, as Syriac was considered a component of Hebrew studies in Egyptian universities.

Dr. Fathy encountered difficulties with the Western pronunciation of Syriac, which led her to join Father Ayoub Estephan’s school for Syriac language instruction. This opportunity significantly strengthened her language skills, especially given the limited usage and scarce training courses available in Egypt. When Father Estephan asked her about her love and interest in Syriac, Dr. Fathy said: “I started learning Syriac in my second year of study with Dr. Souma Ahmed Mohamed Khaled, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Arts at Mansoura University. She made me fall in love with the language and helped me decide to pursue it instead of Hebrew.”

Related: Celebrating Syriac on International Mother Language Day: Discussing the Ancient Language’s Legacy, Influence, and Preservation with Dr. Hend Fathy

For her master’s degree, Dr. Fathy specialized in Syriac grammar, focusing on the Syriac morphemes in the four Gospels. Her doctoral dissertation centered on the use of parenthetical expressions in the Bible.

In her interview with Father Estephan, Dr. Fathy announced the launch of her YouTube channel to teach and promote the Syriac language in a simplified and engaging scientific manner. She extended an invitation to the Syriac, Chaldean, and Assyrian communities, as well as to all Syriac language enthusiasts, to support her initiative and help preserve the Syriac language and heritage.

Interesting notes from the interview

During the French Mandate era in Egypt, Napoleon issued a decree recognizing three official languages: French, Arabic, and Syriac. Syriac, a Semitic language, is a continuation of Aramaic, the language originally spoken by the Arameans who, according to the Old Testament, lived in Aram—a region known today as the Levant and Iraq.

Syriac is divided into two dialects: Eastern and Western. It consists of 22 letters and is written from right to left. It was the language spoken by Jesus Christ. When Syriac became widespread, it was preferred by Jews over Hebrew and was used in their writings during the Middle Ages.

In Egypt, there is a Syriac monastery in Wadi El-Natrun in the Beheira Governorate, which is home to the Tree of Mar Ephrem—a staff that, according to tradition, turned into a tree centuries ago and still exists to this day.