Davani dialect

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The Davani dialect (Persian: دوانی, UniPers: Davâni) of the Persian language is spoken in the village of Davan (also called: Dovun and Dovu), 12 kilometers north of Kazerun city in Southern Iran. The dialect is a remnant of the Middle Persian dialects. The number of speakers was estimated around 1000 in 2004.[1]

Contents

[edit] Phonology

The transcription used here does not show the exact sounds in the dialect. Some cases deserve mentioning [2]:

[edit] Vowels

short: â, a, e, i, o, u
long: â:, ā, ē, ī, ō, ū

[edit] Consonants

  • fricative: ð, generally after vowels, like in 'bað' (bad)
  • palatal: inclination for 'g' and 'k' before front vowels, like in 'bega' (say)
  • affricative: ts, like in 'tse' (what)

[edit] Grammar

[edit] Verbs

The dialect is ergative in past transitive constructions. Example (Persian transliterations are in UniPers):
English: Hasan saw Ali in the garden.
Persian: Hasan,      Ali-râ tuye bâq did.
Davani:  hasan-eš   ali-a   tu    bâɣ di.

[edit] Nouns

The suffix "-aku" makes nouns definite. Example:
bard (stone) → bard-aku (the stone)

The plural is marked by the suffix "-gal". "-u" is exceptionally used for "man" . Examples:
sēv (apple) → sēv-gal (apples)
merd (man) → merd-u (men)

[edit] Vocabulary

English Davani Persian (Unipers)
beautiful ju, jônek zibâ, xoščehre
blood xin xun
bread nu, nen nân
bring avâðan âvardan
brother borâk, borâ barâdar
come ameðan, aneðan âmadan
cry gerīðan geristan
dark târīk târik
daughter dōt, dōðar doxtar
day ru, rez ruz
do kētan kardan
door dar dar
die mordan mordan
donkey xar xar
egg xoy toxme morq
earth zimi zamin
eye čiš čašm
father bu, bâva, bova pedar
fear ters tars
fiancé numzâð nâmzad
fine xoš xoš
finger pinja, piling angošt
fire tiš âtaš, âzar
fish meyi mâhi
food / eat xorâk/ xâtan gaza, xorâk / xordan
go šeðan raftan
god xoðâ xodâ
good xūv xub
great got, ɣoč bozorg, gonde, gat
hand das dast
English Davani Persian (Unipers)
head tek, kalla, ser sar, kalle
heart del del
horse asp asb, astar
house xuna xâne
language (Also Tongue) zavu zabân
laugh xanda kētan xandidan
man merd mard
moon mā mâh
mother deyi, dey mâdar, mâmân
mouth kap, kač dahân
name num nâm
night šô šab
open vâkētan bâz kardan
peace sōl âshti, ârâmeš, ârâmi
place jo jâ
read xondan xândan
say gâ:tan goftan, gap zadan
scratch kerniðan xârândan
sister xāk, xā xâhar
small xujak, kem, xordek, rēz, vahila kucak, kam, xurd, riz
son pos, keraku pesar, pur, bacce
tall boland boland , bârez
three so se
water ô âb, ow
weave vâtseriðan bâftan
when ki key
wind bâð bâd
woman zan zan
yesterday dig diruz

[edit] Example Sentences

English Davani Persian Unipers
What is this? i tsi-yen? این چیست؟ In cist?
Where is Ali? ali an kâ? علی کجاست؟ Ali kojâst?
This horse is white. i asp-e espe-hâ. .این اسب سفید است In asb sefid ast.
Go (and) chain Rostam's hand (and) bring him here, so that I give you the crown and the kingdom. beða dass-e rostam huven-eš bâ injo ke-t ma tâj šâi hâðe. .برو دست رستم را ببند، اینجا بیاور تا من تاج شاهی را به تو بدهم Boro daste Rostam râ beband, injâ beyâvar, tâ man tâje šâhi râ be to bedaham.
They say he workrs 10 hours a day. mege-yen rez-i dā sât kâr mēku. .میگویند روزی ده ساعت کار میکند Miguyand ruzi dah sâat kâr mikonad.
I have tow small brothers and sisters. dikko-m borô xey-e xord-ek he. .دو برادر و خواهر کوچک دارم Do barâdar va xâhare kucak dâram.
If you will go just once to their village, you won't forget the hospitality of its people. agar hami akeš-a šesse-bi-ya velât-ešu hargese-tu meymu dâri-šu az yâð nemēšu. .اگر تنها یکبار به ده آنها رفته باشی، مهمان‌نوازی مردم آنجا را هرگز از یاد نخواهی برد Agar tanhâ yekbâr be dehe ânhâ rafte bâši, mehmânnavâziye mardome ânjâ râ hargez az yâd naxâhid bord.
Who called me? ke-š čer-om ze? چه کسی مرا صدا زد؟ Cekasi marâ sedâ zad?

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Salami, A., 1383 AP / 2004 AD. Ganjineye guyeššenâsiye Fârs (The treasury of Fars dialectology). First Volume, The academy of Persian language and literature. [1] ISBN 964-7531-32-X
  2. ^ Mahamedi, H., 1982. The story of Rostam and Esfandiyâr in an Iranian dialect, Journal of the American Oriental Studies, 102.3, 451-459.

[edit] Further reading

  • Morgenstierne, G., 1960. Stray notes on Persian dialects, II, Fârs Dialects-Davâni. Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, XIX, 123-129.
  • Hasamzada-Haqiqi, 1970. Guyeše Davâni (Davani Dialect), in proceedings of the first congress of Iranian studies. Tehran University, 77-98.
  • Mahamedi, H., 1979. On the verbal system in three Iranian dialects of Fârs, in Studia Iranica, VIII, 2, 277-297.
  • Salami, A., 1381 AP / 2002 AD. Farhange guyeše Davâni (The Dictionary of Davani dialect). The academy of Persian language and literature. [2] ISBN 964-7531-03-6

[edit] External links