Since the American Foundation for Syriac Studies was founded, its chief concern has been the dissemination of accurate and objective information about Syriac culture and language. Realizing that people are hooked on digital media, the foundation has launched a website (syriac-studies-dic.com) to reach out to audiences all over the world. The website features a wide variety of books, articles, and reviews selected not only to clarify some of the complex issues in the study of Syriac heritage but to also provide a vivid account of its historical development. Among its other activities, the AFSS has funded translation projects to make books that pertain to Syriac sciences and literature available in other languages.

Most recently the foundation has embarked on an electronic Syriac dictionary in four languages: Syriac, French, English, and Arabic. This dictionary will certainly be invaluable to researchers, students and those interested in Syriac. With the wide spread of the Internet all over the world, and now that a large community of Syriac-speaking expatriates has settled in the West, a Syriac electronic dictionary will certainly meet their needs. Even the new generations of Syrians, especially those born and schooled in Western countries, speaking Western languages but eager to learn their native language, will surely find this dictionary quite useful and essential.

An electronic dictionary has obviously many advantages over a printed dictionary as far as generating standard verb derivations and conjugating verbs, derivative nouns, and infinitives. With a click of a button, a researcher does not only have access to an endless list of statements, linguistic information about verbs, nouns, infinitives, adjectives, and particles, but can easily print them out or store them in special files. Thus this electronic dictionary is a model of what dictionaries should be, especially Syriac dictionaries. As an open program, easy to use, liable to develop and grow, this dictionary will render the Syriac language a great service.

The prompt realization of an electronic dictionary combining Syriac and three other international languages is planned by the AFSS and supported by Mr. Hanna Issa Touma, Dr. Admer Gouryh and Mr. John Benyamine . The initial thought of the project dates back to the end of 2008, during which the passionate search for a Syriac dictionary led eventually to Louis Costaz’s dictionary, which was considered the best choice due to its unique facets compared to other dictionaries.

Father Louis Costaz (1903-1964) was of French decent, studied at the Jesuit Monastic School, and when moved to Lebanon he learned Syriac and composed a dictionary that has become an indispensable reference to those interested in studying Syriac.

It is worth mentioning that the adopted edition of Father Costaz’s dictionary was published by the Catholic Press of Beirut, Lebanon, in 1963. However, the most exciting experiment was the process of typesetting and revising the data, as well as converting the printed material into computerized statements—an act that involved programming everything in a professional and dynamic way to facilitate the use of computer and the objective of research.

Some essential abbreviations, especially in relation to Greek, as well as additions and corrections appear at the end of the dictionary. More idioms are added to the designated list. Several corrections are made wherever necessary, and some contemporary commentaries are added—all of which are put in brackets.

Completing an electronic dictionary of this magnitude requires the sustained, collective efforts of many individuals and institutions. The AFSS is deeply grateful to Rev. Bishop Mor Cyril Ephrem Karim, Mr. Benyamin Malki, Dr. Maurice Elias, and Dr. Youssef Abd-al-Massih.

The AFSS is also deeply grateful to Mr. George Marayati for his guidance through the preparation of this project. Warm Thanks are due to Mr. Pierre Gergi, an engineer, and the General Manager of Qenshrin Website. Thanks are also due to Mrs. Layla Dali Appo for typesetting the Syriac, Arabic, and English columns. Thanks go to Mrs. Ritta Hajjar for typesetting the French column. Special thanks to Mr. Kabi Isa for his meticulous review of the Syriac column. The AFSS wishes to thank other individuals (in Aleppo), too numerous to cite here, for their constant support.

The American Foundation for Syriac Studies