Iranian languages

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article deals with the language family. For languages spoken on the territory of Iran, see Languages of Iran.

Iranian
Geographic distribution:	Southwest Asia, Central Asia and parts of South Asia
Genetic classification:	Indo-European  Indo-Iranian   Iranian
Subdivisions:	Western Iranian Eastern Iranian
Geographic distribution of the modern Iranian languages: Persian (green), Pashto (purple), Balochi (yellow), and Kurdish (turquoise), as well as smaller communities of other Iranian languages (User-created map)

The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family. With the Indo-Aryan languages they form the Indo-Iranian languages group, which is a branch of Indo-European; with Avestan and Old Persian, the Iranian languages are two of the oldest recorded Indo-European languages (including the Indic language Vedic Sanskrit, Greek, and Hittite).

Today, there are an estimated 150-200 million native speakers of Iranian languages.^[1] The 2005 SIL enumerates 87 varieties of Iranian languages, per number of native speakers, the greatest are Persian (ca. 70 million), Kurdish and Pashto (ca. 25 million each), and Balochi (ca. 7 million); to compare these numbers against those for other languages, see list of languages by number of native speakers.

Contents 1 Name 2 Early Iranian languages 3 The Middle Iranian languages 4 Iranian languages after the Arab conquest of Persia 5 Classification of the Iranian languages 6 A Comparison Table of the Iranian Languages 7 See also 8 Bibliography

[edit] Name

The 'Iranian' languages branch is so named because its principal member languages, including Persian, have been spoken in the area of the Iranian plateau since ancient times, however, as a linguistic classification, 'Iranian'implies no relation with the country of Iran, for which see Languages of Iran.

[edit] Early Iranian languages

The Indo-Iranian languages probably originated in Central Asia. The Andronovo culture is the suggested candidate for the common Indo-Iranian culture ca. 2000 BC, but never proved.

Together with the other Indo-Iranian languages, the Iranian languages are descended from a common ancestor, Proto-Indo-Iranian. This language split up into:

• Indo-Aryan languages, including Sanskrit, attested from the 2nd millennium BC
• Dardic languages
• Nuristani languages
• Iranian languages, including Avestan (dated to roughly 1000 BC) and Old Persian (attested from roughly 500 BC).

Proto-Iranian thus dates to some time after Proto-Indo-Iranian breakup, or the early second millennium BC, as the Old Iranian languages began to break off and evolve separately as the various Iranian tribes migrated and settled in vast areas of southeastern Europe, the Iranian plateau, and Central Asia.

Linguistically, the Old Iranian languages are divided into two major families and sub classes:

• The eastern group
• The western group
  • The southwestern group
  • The northwestern group

The eastern group includes the Sogdian, Khwarezmian, Saka, and Avestan, (also known as Old Bactrian). The northwestern branch includes the Median language. The southwestern group includes Persian.

Avestan is mainly attested through the Avesta, a collection of sacred texts connected to the Zoroastrian religion. Old Persian is attested through inscriptions in the Old Persian cuneiform script.

[edit] The Middle Iranian languages

What is known in Iranian linguistic history as the "Middle Iranian" era is thought to begin around the 4th century BCE lasting through the 9th century. Again, geographically, one can classify these into two main families, Western and Eastern.

The former family includes the languages of Parthian (Arsacid Pahlavi) and Middle Persian, while Bactrian, Sogdian, Khwarezmian, Saka, and Old Ossetic (Scytho-Sarmatian) fall under the latter category. The two languages of the western group were linguistically very close to each other, but quite distinct from their eastern counterparts. On the other hand, the Eastern group retained more proximity to Old Iranian. They were inscribed in various Aramaic alphabets, which had evolved from the Achaemenid Imperial Aramaic.

Middle Persian (Pahlavi), was the official language of the Sassanids. It was in usage from the 3rd century until the top of the 10th century. Pahlavi was also the language of the Manichaeans, whose texts survive albeit in limited numbers. The Imperial Aramaic script used in this era experienced significant maturation.

[edit] Iranian languages after the Arab conquest of Persia

Following the Islamic Conquest of Iran, there were important changes in the role of the different dialects of Persian within the Persian empire. The old prestige form of Middle Persian, also known as Pahlavi, was replaced by a new standard dialect called Dari as the official language of the court. The name Dari comes from the word darbar (دربار), which refers to the royal court, where many of the poets, protagonists, and patrons of the literature flourished (See Persian literature). The Saffarid dynasty in particular was the first in a line of many dynasties to officially adopt the new language in 875CE. Dari is believed to have been heavily influenced by regional dialects of eastern Iran, whereas the earlier Pahlavi standard was based more on western dialects. This new prestige dialect became the ancestor of modern Standard Persian. Medieval Iranian scholars such as Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa (8th century) and Ibn al-Nadim (10th century) associated the term "Dari" with the eastern province of Khorasan, while they used the term "Pahlavi" to describe the dialects of the northwestern areas between Isfahan and Azerbaijan (see Ancient Azari language), and "Parsi" ("Persian" proper) to describe the dialects of Fars. They also noted that the unofficial language of the royalty itself was yet another dialect, "Khuzi", associated with the western province of Khuzestan.

The Islamic conquest also brought with it the adoption of Arabic script for writing Persian. It was adapted to the writing of Persian by the addition of a few letters. This development probably occurred some time during the second half of the 8th century, when the old middle Persian script began dwindling in usage. The aforementioned script remains the in use in contemporary modern Persian. Tajik script was first Latinised in the 1920s under the then Soviet nationality policy. The script was however subsequently Cyrillicized in the 1930s under plans by USSR's government in Central Asia.

The geographical area in which Iranian languages were spoken was pushed back in several areas by new neighbouring languages. Arabic spread into some parts of Western Iran (Khuzestan), and Turkic languages spread through much of Central Asia, displacing various Iranian languages such as Sogdian and Bactrian in parts of what is today Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. They also displaced the Persian language spoken in Azerbaijan.

[edit] Classification of the Iranian languages

Main article: List of Iranian languages

Iranian languages are divided into Eastern and Western subfamilies, totalling about 84 languages (SIL estimate). Of the most widely-spoken Iranian languages, Kurdish, Persian, and Balochi are all Western Iranian languages, while Pashto is an Eastern Iranian language.

[edit] A Comparison Table of the Iranian Languages

English	Zazaki	Kurdish	Pashto	Balochi	Mazandarani	Tajik	Persian	Middle Persian	Parthian	Old Persian	Avestan
beautiful	rind	rind/delal/cûwan	shkulay, xkulay	sharr, soherâ		zebo	zibâ/ xubchehreh	hučihr, hužihr	hužihr	naiba	vahu-, srîra
blood	gûn	xwîn	wina	hon	xin	xun	xūn	xōn	xōn		vohuni
bread	nûn	nan	ḍoḍəy/roṭəy (from Indic)	nân, nagan	nân	non	nân	nân	nân
bring	ârdena	anîn/hênan	rāwṛəl	âvardan	biyârden	ovardan	âvardan	âwurdan, āwāy-, āwar-, bar-	āwāy-, āwar-, bar-	bara-	bara, bar-
brother	birâ	bira	wror	barādar	birâr	barodar	barādar	brād, brâdar	brād, brādar	brâtar	brâtar-
come	amaena	hatin	rātləl	áhag, âmadan	enen	omadan	âmadan	âmadan, awar	awar, čām	ây-, âgam	âgam-
cry	bermayish	girîn	žāṛəl	taukh	bərmə/ qâ	giristan	geristan	griy-, bram-
dark	târî	tarî	tiārə	thár	siyo	torîk	târîk	târīg/k	târīg, târēn		sâmahe, sâma
daughter	kena	keç/kîj/kenîşk/dot	lūr	mind	kijâ/ dether	duxtar	doxtar	duxtar	duxt, duxtar		duxδar
day	roc	roj	wradz	roshe	rez/ reoj	rûz	rûz	rōz		raucah-
do	kerdena	kirin/kirdin	kawəl	khandagh	hâkerden	kardan	kardan	kardan	kartan	kạrta-	kәrәta-
door	ber	derge/derî	war	gelo	bəli	dar	dar	dar	dar, bar	duvara-	dvara-
die	merdena	mirin	mṛəl/məṛedəl	mireg	bamirden	murdan	murdan	murdan		mạriya-	mar-
donkey	her	ker	xar	her	xar	xar	xar	xar
egg	hak	hêk	hagəy	heyg	merqâna	tuxm	toxm	toxmag, xâyag	taoxmag, xâyag		taoxma-
earth	êrd (Arabic)	herd/erd (Arabic)	zməka/mzəka	zemin	zemi	zamin	zamin	zamīg	zamīg	zam-	zãm, zam, zem
evening	shund	êvar/êware	māshām, māxām	nəmâshun	begáh	begoh, shom	sarshab	êbêrag
eye	chım	çav	stərga	ch.hem, chem		chashm	chashm	chašm	chašm	čaša-	čašman-
father	pi	bav/bawk	plār	pyt, abbâ	piyer	padar	pedar	pidar	pid	pitar	pitar
fear	ters	tirs	wera	terseg	təshəpash	tars	tars	tars	tars	tạrsa-	tares-
fiancé	washte	dezgîran, destgirtî		nām zād		nomzad	nâm-zad	-	-
fine	wesh	xweş/baş	sha, xa	hosh		naghz, xub	xub	dârmag			srîra
finger	gisht	til/qamik	gūta/gwəta	lenkwk, mordâneg	angoos	angusht	angosht	angust			dišti-
fire	âdır	agir	or	âch, âs	tesh	otash	âtash, âzar	âdur, âtaxsh	ādur	âç-	âtre-/aêsma-
fish	mâse	masî	kab/māhī	mâhi		mohi	mâhi	mâhig	mâsyâg		masyô, masya
food / eat	werdena	xwarin	xwāṛa/xoṛəl	warag, vereg		xurok / xurdan	xorâk / xordan	parwarz / xwâr, xwardīg	parwarz / xwâr		hareθra / ad-, at-
go	shiyaena	çûn	tləl	jwzzegh	shunen / burden	raftan	raftan	raftan, shudan	ay-	ai-	ay-, fra-vaz
god	homâ	xwedê	xwdāy	hwdâ		xudo	xodâ	bay, abragar		baga-	baya-
good	hol	baş, çak	sha, xa	jawáin, šarr	xâr	naghz, xub, neku	xub / neku	xūb, nêkog		vahu-	vohu, vaŋhu-
grass	vash	giya, riwek, şênkatî	wāshə, wāxə	rem		sabza, giyoh	sabzeh, giyâh	giyâ	dâlūg		urvarâ
great	gırd / pil	gir, mezin, gewre	stər	mastar	belang, pila	buzurg	bozorg	wuzurg, pīl		vazạrka-	uta-, avañt
hand	dest	dest/lep	lās	dast	dess	dast	dast	dast	dast	dasta-	zasta-
head	ser	ser	sar	saghar	kalə	sar, kalla	sar, kalleh	sar
heart	zerri	dil	zṛə	dil, hatyr	dil	dil	del	dil	dil		aηhuš
horse	estoar	hesp	ās (masc.), aspa (fem.)	asp	istar	asp	asb, astar	asp, stōr	asp, stōr	aspa	aspa-
house	ke(ye)	mal	kor	log	səre	xona	xâneh	xânag			demâna-, nmâna-
hunger	vêyshan	birçîtî/birsiyetî	lwaža	shudhagh	veyshna	gurusnagi	gorosnegi	gursag, shuy
language	ziwan / zun	ziman	žəba	zevân	ziwân	zabon	zabân	zuwân	izβân	hazâna-	hizvâ-
laugh	huyaena	kenîn	xandəl	khendegh, hendeg		xandidan	xandidan	xandīdan		karta	Syaoθnâvareza-
life	jewiyaena	jiyan/jîn	žwand	zendegih		zindagi	zendegi	zīndagīh, zīwišnīh	žīwahr, žīw-		gaêm, gaya-
man	merd	mêr/piyaw	saṛay	merd	merd	mard	mard	mard	mard	martiya-	mašîm, mašya
moon	ashmê	heyv/mang	spožməy/spogməy	máh	mithra	moh	māh	māh	māh	mâh-	måŋha-
mother	mae	dayik	mor	mât, mâs	mâr	modar	mādar	mādar	mādar	mâtar	mâtar-
mouth	fek	dev/dem	xwla	daf		dahon	dahân	dahân, rumb			åŋhânô, âh, åñh
name	nâme	nav	num	num	num	nom	nâm	nâm		nâman	nãman
night	shewe	şev	shpa	shaw, šap	sheow	shab	shab	shab		xšap-	xšap-
open	rakerdena	vekirin	prānistəl/prānatəl	božagh	vâ-hekârden	kushodan, boz kardan	bâz-kardan	abâz-kardan		būxtaka-	būxta-
peace	kotpy	aştî	rogha	ârâm		oshti, oromish	âshti, ârâmeš	âštih, râmīšn	râm, râmīšn	šiyâti-	râma-
pig	xoz	beraz	xug	xug	xi	xuk	xūk	xūk			varâza (wild pig)
place	ja	cih/şûn	dzāy	hend		joy, jo	jâ	gâh	gâh	gâθu-	gâtu-, gâtav-
read	wendena	xwendin	lwastəl	wánagh	baxinden	xondan	xândan	xwândan
say	vatena	gotin/wutin	wayəl	gushagh	baotena	guftan	goftan	guftan, gōw-, wâxtan	gōw-	gaub-	mrû-
sister	wae	xweşk	xor	gwhâr	xâxer	xohar	xâhar	xwahar
small	qıch	piçûk	ləž, ləg/woṛ/kuchnay	lekem	pətik, bechuk, perushk	xurd	kuchak, kam	kam, rangas	kam	kamna-	kamna-
son	qıj	kur	zway, zuy	pisar, phusagh	pisser	pisar	pesar	pur, pusar	puhr	puça	pūθra-
soul		giyan	rūh (Arabic), sā	rūh (Arabic)		ravon	ravân	rūwân, gyân	rūwân, gyân		urvan-
spring	wusar	bihar	psarlay		wehâr	bahor	bahâr	wahâr		vâhara-	θūravâhara-
tall	berz	bilind/berz	lwaṛ	bwrz		baland	boland / bârez	buland, borz	bârež		barez-
three	hire	sê	dre	se	se	se	se	sê	hrē	çi-	θri-
village	dew	gund, dê	kəlay	helk	deh	deh, rusto	deh	wiž	dahyu-	vîs-, dahyu-
want	wastena	xwestin/wîstin	ghwāṛəl	lotagh	bexanen	xostan	xâstan	xwâstan
water	awe	av	obə	âf	ab	ob	âb	âb	âb	âpi	avô-
when	key	kengê	kəla, či	ked		kay	kay	kay	ka		čim-
wind	va	ba	bād	gwáth	wâ	bod	bâd	wâd			vâta-
wolf	verg	gur	līwə	gurkh	varg, gəorge	gurg	gorg	gurg		varka-	vehrka
woman	jeniye	jin/afret	shədza, xəza	jan	zəna	zan	zan	zan	žan		hâīrīšī-, nâirikâ-
year	serre	sal	kāl	sâl		sol	sâl	sâl		θard	ýâre, sarәd
yes / no	ya / ne	erê / na	ho, wo / na	ere / na		ha / ne	âri / na	hâ / ney	hâ / ney	yâ / nay, mâ	yâ / noit, mâ
yesterday	vizêr	duh/dwênê	pərun	zí	direz	dina, diruz	diruz	dêrûž

[edit] See also

• List of Iranian languages
• Iran
• Iranian peoples
• History of Iran
• Indo-Iranian Languages

[edit] Bibliography

1. ^ Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.) (2005). "Report for Iranian languages". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 

Schmidt, Rüdiger (ed.) (1989). Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum. Wiesbaden: Reichert. ISBN 3-88226-413-6.  Sims-Williams, Nicholas. (1996). "Iranian languages". Encyclopedia Iranica 7: 238-245. Cosa Mesa: Mazda. Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). (1996). "Iran". Encyclopedia Iranica 7. Cosa Mesa: Mazda. Frye, Richard N.. (1996). "Peoples of Iran". Encyclopedia Iranica 7. Cosa Mesa: Mazda. Windfuhr, Gernot L.. (1995). "Cases in Iranian languages and dialects". Encyclopedia Iranica 5. Cosa Mesa: Mazda. Lazard, Gilbert. (1996). "Dari". Encyclopedia Iranica 7. Cosa Mesa: Mazda. Henning, Walter B. (1954). "The Ancient language of Azarbaijan". Transactions of the Philological Society.  Rezakhani, Khodadad (2001). The Iranian Language Family.

Iranian Languages
Eastern Iranian
Old Iranian	Avestan † | Scythian (including Saka)† | Sogdian†
Middle Iranian	Bactrian† | Khwarezmian† | Khotanese† (possibly a Saka dialect) | Ossetic | Sacian†
Modern Iranian	Bartangi | Hidukush Group | Ishkashmi | Karakoram Group | Khufi | Munji | Oroshori | New Ossetic | Parachi | Pashto | Roshani (Roshni) | Sanglechi | Sarikoli | Shughni | Wakhi | Vanji † | Waziri | Yaghnobi | Yidgha | Yazgulami | Zebaki
Western Iranian
Old Iranian	Median† | Old Persian (Aryan)†
Middle Iranian	Parthian Pahlavi† | Sasanian Pahlavi†
Modern Iranian	Alviri (Vidâri) | Ashtiani | Azari† | Baluchi | Bashkardi | Central Iran | Persian Dari | Dari (Zoroastrian) | Gilaki | Gorani | Harzani | Judeo-Persian | Kurdish Kurmanji | Laki | Luri | Bakhtiari Lori | Mazandarani | Ormuri | Sangsari | Parachi | New-Persian | Sorani (Kurdish) | Tajik | Taleshi | Tat | Tati | Vafsi | Zazaki
Extinct †

v • d • e Indo-Iranian languages
Indic (Indo-Aryan)	Sanskrit: Vedic Sanskrit - Classical Sanskrit · Prakrit: Pāli - Magadhi · Mitanni · Bengali (Dialects: Chittagonian, Sylheti) · Hindustani (Registers: Hindi, Urdu) · Angika · Assamese · Bhojpuri · Bishnupriya Manipuri · Dhivehi · Dogri · Gujarati · Konkani · Mahl · Maithili · Marathi · Nepali · Oriya · Punjabi · Romani · Sindhi · Sinhala
Iranian	Eastern: Avestan · Bactrian · Pamir (Shughni, Sarikoli, Wakhi) · Pashto · Scythian - Ossetic · Sogdian - Yaghnobi · Western: Persian: Old Persian - Middle Persian (Pahlavi) - Modern Persian (Varieties: Farsi, Dari, Tajik) · Bukhori · Balochi · Dari (Zoroastrianism) · Gilaki · Kurdish · Luri · Mazandarani · Talysh · Tat · Zazaki
Dardic	Dameli · Domaaki · Gawar-Bati · Kalash · Kashmiri · Khowar · Kohistani · Nangalami · Pashayi · Palula · Shina · Shumashti
Nuristani	Askunu · Kamkata-viri · Tregami · Vasi-vari · Waigali