Rabi Yulius Petros Assyrian Language collectionPETROS.001.CaTurCSU

California State University Stanislaus Special Collections and University Archives

University Library

One University Circle

Turlock, CA 95382

mweppler@csustan.edu

Contributing Institution: California State University Stanislaus Special Collections and University Archives

Title: Rabi Yulius Petros Assyrian Language collection

source: Bet-Nahrain Inc. (Turlock, California)

Creator: Petros, Yulius, Rabi

Identifier/Call Number: PETROS.001.CaTurCSU

Physical Description: 34 Digital Files

Date (bulk): 1999-2004

Language of Material: English , Semitic languages .

Biographical / Historical

Rabi Yulius Petros was born on April 26, 1932 in the village of Golpashan in Urmia, Iran. His father, Giwargis Sargis, was a farmer, and his mother, Nanajan Youkhana, was a graduate of the American Presbyterian Missionary school.

Rabi Yulius completed his primary education in Urmia and went on to pursue higher education in English literature and obtained a Bachelors of Art degree from the University of Tabriz in 1952. He stated teaching English at the Ebne Sina and Ferdosi High schools in Urmia. In 1959 he was nominated to participate in a national registry and was granted a scholarship by Point Four, an educational endowment, which took him to University of Beirut in Lebanon.

The University of Tabriz, in conjunction with the Department of Education, granted Rabi Yulius an opportunity to come to the United States and study at the University of Nebraska in 1962. He returned to his native country of Iran and continued to teach in his hometown of Urmia until 1984.

Rabi Yulius grew up speaking and learning to read and write the Assyrian language at home, his mother being his first teacher. His love for learning and teaching grew as he attended Assyrian language classes offered at his church.

In 1984 Rabi Yulius and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in New Britton, Connecticut. He taught the Assyrian language at the Assyrian Church of the East until he moved to Turlock in 1996. He established and coordinated classes at the Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock, Turlock High School, Turlock Adult School and the Assyrian Church of the East.

Rabi Yulius Petros is currently teaching the Assyrian language at the Assyrian American Civic Club of Turlock and hosts a radio program teaching Assyrian literature and history.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Scope and Contents

This collection of 34 DVDs is comprised of a biography, an interview, and 32 individual video lessons taught by Rabi Petros on the Assyrian language. The Assyrian language is spoken in parts of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, the United States, and Europe.

Rabi Petros's pedagogy emphasizes teaching the sounds of vowels and the entire Assyrian alphabet. He explains that it is easier to learn the Assyrian language when there is a clear understanding of the phonetic sounds of the letters. Rabi Petros teaches both English and Assyrian.

The video lessons were converted from VHS to DVD, and later to MP4 files.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Akkadian language

Language courses

Syriac language, Modern

Bet-Nahrain Inc. (Turlock, California)

Part 1

Rabi Yulius Petros Assyrian Language Series, Part 1, Disc 1