new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/syntax/ave.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+" Vim syntax file
+" Copyright by Jan-Oliver Wagner
+" Language:	avenue
+" Maintainer:	Jan-Oliver Wagner <Jan-Oliver.Wagner@intevation.de>
+" Last change:	2001 May 10
+
+" Avenue is the ArcView built-in language. ArcView is
+" a desktop GIS by ESRI. Though it is a built-in language
+" and a built-in editor is provided, the use of VIM increases
+" development speed.
+" I use some technologies to automatically load avenue scripts
+" into ArcView.
+
+" For version 5.x: Clear all syntax items
+" For version 6.x: Quit when a syntax file was already loaded
+if version < 600
+  syntax clear
+elseif exists("b:current_syntax")
+  finish
+endif
+
+" Avenue is entirely case-insensitive.
+syn case ignore
+
+" The keywords
+
+syn keyword aveStatement	if then elseif else end break exit return
+syn keyword aveStatement	for each in continue while
+
+" String
+
+syn region aveString		start=+"+ end=+"+
+
+" Integer number
+syn match  aveNumber		"[+-]\=\<[0-9]\+\>"
+
+" Operator
+
+syn keyword aveOperator		or and max min xor mod by
+" 'not' is a kind of a problem: Its an Operator as well as a method
+" 'not' is only marked as an Operator if not applied as method
+syn match aveOperator		"[^\.]not[^a-zA-Z]"
+
+" Variables
+
+syn keyword aveFixVariables	av nil self false true nl tab cr tab
+syn match globalVariables	"_[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]*"
+syn match aveVariables		"[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9_]*"
+syn match aveConst		"#[A-Z][A-Z_]+"
+
+" Comments
+
+syn match aveComment	"'.*"
+
+" Typical Typos
+
+" for C programmers:
+syn match aveTypos	"=="
+syn match aveTypos	"!="
+
+" Define the default highlighting.
+" For version 5.7 and earlier: only when not done already
+" For version 5.8 and later: only when an item doesn't have highlighting+yet
+if version >= 508 || !exists("did_ave_syn_inits")
+  if version < 508
+	let did_ave_syn_inits = 1
+	command -nargs=+ HiLink hi link <args>
+  else
+	command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
+  endif
+
+  HiLink aveStatement		Statement
+
+  HiLink aveString		String
+  HiLink aveNumber		Number
+
+  HiLink aveFixVariables	Special
+  HiLink aveVariables		Identifier
+  HiLink globalVariables	Special
+  HiLink aveConst		Special
+
+  HiLink aveClassMethods	Function
+
+  HiLink aveOperator		Operator
+  HiLink aveComment		Comment
+
+  HiLink aveTypos		Error
+
+  delcommand HiLink
+endif
+
+let b:current_syntax = "ave"