Western Iranian languages

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Western Iranian
Geographic
distribution:		 Southwest Asia, Central Asia, and western South Asia
Linguistic classification: Indo-European
Subdivisions:
  • Northwestern Iranian
  • Southwestern Iranian (Persid)

The Western Iranian languages are a branch of the Iranian languages, attested from the time of Old Persian (6th century BC).

The two sub-branches are:

  • Northwestern Iranian languages
  • Southwestern Iranian (Persid) languages

The opposition of these two dialect groups is apparent already in Old Iranian times, from the opposition of Old Persian and Median.

Languages

Western Iranian languages fall into two distinct branches. The Northwestern Iranian languages show a lot of dialectal diversity. The Southwestern Iranian languages, also called the Persid languages, include some 16 (SIL estimate) closely related languages and dialects.

Northwestern

  1. Old Azeri (Azari)†
  2. Central Iran (geographic)
    • Tafresh: Ashtiani, Amora’i, Kahaki, Vafsi, Judeo-Hamadani, Judeo-Borujerdi, Judeo-Nahavandi, Alviri-Vidari (Alviri, Vidari)
    • Northwestern: Khunsari (Khwanshari, Judeo-Khunsari), Mahallati, Vanishani, Judeo-Golpaygani
    • Northeastern: Arani, Bidgoli, Delijani, Nashalji, Abuzaydabadi, Qohrudi, Badrudi, Kamu’i, Jowshaqani, Meyma’i, Abyana’i, Soi (Sohi), Badi, Natanzi (Natanzi, Farizandi, Yarandi/Yarani), Kasha’i, Tari, Tarqi, Judeo-Kashani
    • Southwestern: Gazi, Sedehi, Ardestani, Nohuji, Sajzi, Jarquya’i, Rudashti, Kafrudi, Kafruni, Judeo-Esfahani
    • Southeastern: Zoroastrian Dari (Yazdi, Kermani, Judeo-Yazdi, Judeo-Kermani), Nayini (Na’ini, Anaraki), Zefra’i, Varzenei, Tudeshki, Keyjani, Abchuya’i
    • Kavir: Khuri, Farvi, Farroki, Mehrjani
    • Sivandi: Sivandi, Northwestern Fars
  3. Kurdish: Sorani (Central Kurdish), Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish), Southern Kurdish, Laki
  4. Zaza–Gorani: Gorani (Hawrami), Bajelan, Kirmanjki (Northern Zaza), Dimli (Southern Zaza), Shabak, Sarli
  5. Parthian†
  6. Semnani: Semnani, Sangisari, Lasgerdi, Sorkhei, Aftari, Biyabanaki
  7. Median†
  8. Caspian: Deilami, Gilaki (Rashti), Mazandarani (incl. Gorgani†, Shahmirzadi)
  9. Balochi: Balochi, Koroshi
  10. Talysh: Talysh, Gozarkhani, Kabatei, Kajali, Karingani, Koresh-e Rostam, Maraghei, Razajerdi, Shahrudi, Tati (incl. Kho'ini, Harzandi)

Also Khalaj (incertae sedis)

The dialects of Central Iran are a geographic rather than genealogical group. They are spoken in central Iran, mostly in Markazi and Isfahan provinces. Many of them are giving way to Persian language among the younger generations.[1]

Southwestern

See also: dialects of Fars
  1. Persian: Old Persian†, Middle Persian†, Modern Persian: Iranian Persian, Dari Persian (Madaglashti), Tajik Persian, Hazaragi Persian, Dzhidi Persian (Judeo-Persian), Judeo-Bukharic, Khuzestani Persian, Aimaq, Darwazi Persian, Dehwari Persian, Pahlavani Persian, Dezfuli,[2] Sistani, and Tat: Judeo-Tat, Muslim/Christian Tat
  2. Lari: Kuhmareyi (incl. Davani), Judeo-Shirazi, Lari (Larestani), Bashkardi
  3. Luri: Luri (dialects: Luri, Mamasani, Kohkiluyeh, Bakhtiari), Kumzari

Warduji is unclassified. It is probably a variety of Persian, but is not readily intelligible to speakers of standard Iranian Persian.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Central dialects, Encyclopedia Iranica
  2. ↑ MacKinnon, Colin (1995). "Dezfūl". In Yarshater, Ehsan. Encyclopædia Iranica 7. London and New York: Routledge. Retrieved 24 August 2013. 
  • Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, ed. Rüdiger Schmitt. Wiesbaden: L. Reichert Verlag, 1989; p. 99.
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