Kuhmareyi language explained

Kuhmareyi
Also Known As:Southwestern Fars
States:Iran
Speakers:100,000
Date:2012
Ref:e18
Familycolor:Indo-European
Fam2:Indo-Iranian
Fam3:Iranian
Fam4:Western Iranian
Fam5:Southwestern
Fam6:Persid
Iso3:fay
Glotto:sout2645
Glottorefname:Fars Dialects

Kuhmareyi (Persian: کهمره‌ای) is one of the languages of southwestern Fars. It is a cluster of disparate dialects; the one illustrated here is the Davani dialect (Davani: devani;[1] Persian: دوانی, transliteration: Davāni) of the village of Davan, 12 kilometers north of Kazerun city in southern Iran. Davani had an estimated 1,000 speakers in 2004.[2]

Phonology

The transcription used here is only an approximation.[3]

Vowels

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

Consonants

ð, generally after vowels, like in, 'bað' (bad).

γ, like in "γal'ati" (shroud).

like in 'borrâ' (flail).

inclination for 'g' and 'k' before front vowels, like in 'bega' (say).

ts, like in 'tse' (what), and voiced dz, like in andzi (fig).

Grammar

Verbs

Davani is ergative in past transitive constructions. For 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    bâγ di.

Infinitive markers include -san, -tan, -dan, -ðan.

Nouns

The suffix -aku makes nouns definite. For example:

bard "stone" → bard-aku "the stone"

The plural is marked by the suffix -gal. -u is exceptionally used for "man". For example:

sēv "apple" → sēv-gal "apples"
merd "man" → merd-u "men"

Pronouns

Personal Pronouns
Person Singular Plural
1stma mu
2nd to shumu
3rdu
oy
unā
ushu

Vocabulary

EnglishDavaniPersian (Unipers)
beautifulju, jônekzibâ, xoščehre
bloodxinxun
breadnu, nennân
bringavâðanâvardan
brotherborâk, borâbarâdar
comeameðan, aneðanâmadan
crygerīðangeristan
darktârīktârik
daughterdōt, dōðardoxtar
dayru, rezruz
dokētankardan
doordardar
diemordanmordan
donkeyxarxar
eggxoytoxme morq
earthzimizamin
eyečiščašm
fatherbu, bâva, bovapedar
fearterstars
fiancénumzâðnâmzad
finexošxoš
fingerpinja, pilingangošt
firetišâtaš, âzar
fishmeyimâhi
food / eatxorâk/ xâtanqazâ, xorâk / xordan
gošeðanraftan
godxoðâxodâ
goodxūvxub
greatgot, γočbozorg, gonde, gat
handdasdast
EnglishDavaniPersian (Unipers)
headtek, kalla, sersar, kalle
heartdeldel
horseaspasb, astar
housexunaxâne
language/tonguezavuzabân
laughxanda kētanxandidan
manmerdmard
moonmâh
motherdeyi, deymâdar, mâmân
mouthkap, kačdahân
namenumnâm
nightšôšab
openvâkētanbâz kardan
peacesōlâshti, ârâmeš, ârâmi
placejo
readxondanxândan
saygâ:tangoftan, gap zadan
scratchkerniðanxârândan
sisterxāk, xāxâhar
smallxujak, kem, xordek, rēz, vahilakucak, kam, xord, riz
sonpos, kerakupesar, pur, bacce
tallbolandboland, bârez, derâz
threesose
waterôâb, ow
weavevâtseriðanbâftan
whenkikey
windbâðbâd
womanzanzan
yesterdaydigdiruz

Example sentences

EnglishDavaniPersianUnipers
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 استIn 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 works 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 two 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?

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v7f2/v7f217.html Encyclopedia Iranica article on Davani
  2. Salami, A., 1383 AP / 2004 AD. Ganjineye guyeššenâsiye Fârs (The treasury of the dialectology of Fars). First Volume, The academy of Persian language and literature. http://persianacademy.ir/fa/ganjifars01.aspx (in Persian)
  3. Mahamedi, H., 1982. The story of Rostam and Esfandiyâr in an Iranian dialect,Journal of the American Oriental Studies, 102.3, 451-459.