the term "syriac" was historically taken mainly as a linguistic (syriac language) and liturgical (syriac rite) term, referring to neo-aramaic-speaking christians from the near east in general. in an ethnic sense, syriac christians identified as "assyrian", "aramean", or "syrian", but in light of the use of the term "syrian" as a demonym for residents of the syrian arab republic, some syriac christians have also advocated the term "syriac" as an ethnic identifier, particularly members of the syriac orthodox church, the syriac catholic church' and to a much lesser degree, the maronite church, in a way of preserving their historic endonym while distinguishing themselves from arab syrians. those self-identifying as "syriacs" tend to be from western, northwestern, southern, and central syria, as well as south-central turkey.