Western Iranian languages explained
Western Iranian |
Region: | Southwest Asia, Central Asia, Caucasus, and western South Asia |
Familycolor: | Indo-European |
Fam3: | Iranian |
Child1: | Northwestern Iranian |
Child2: | Southwestern Iranian |
Glotto: | nort3177 |
Glottoname: | Northwestern Iranian |
Glotto2: | sout3157 |
Glottoname2: | Southwestern Iranian |
The Western Iranian languages or Western Iranic languages are a branch of the Iranian languages, attested from the time of Old Persian (6th century BC) and Median.
Languages
The traditional Northwestern branch is a convention for non-Southwestern languages, rather than a genetic group. The languages are as follows:[1] [2] [3]
Old Iranian period
Middle Iranian period
Modern period (Neo-Iranian)
- Northwestern Iranian
- Central Plateau
- Sivandi
- Judeo-Hamadani, Judeo-Borujerdi
- NW = Khunsari (Judeo-Khunsari, Judeo-Khomeini, Vanishani, Mahallati, Vanishani, Judeo-Golpaygani, etc.)
- NE = Kashanic: Soi (incl. Abuzaydabadi), Natanzi
- SW = Gazi (many dialects)
- Southeastern: Zoroastrian Dari (Zoroastrian Yazdi, Judeo-Kermani), Nayini
- Southwestern Iranian
- Bashkardi (Southern Bashkardi)
- Garmsiri (Northern Bashkardi, Bandari, Minabi/Minowi–Hormozi: Hormozgan)[4]
- Kumzari
- Achomi (Larestani)
- Caucasian Tat (SW Tat): Tat, Judeo-Tat
- Persian (dialects: Iranian Persian & Judeo-Persian, Dari (incl. Madaglashti), Tajik & Judeo-Bukharic, Hazaragi, Aimaq, Sistani, Pahlavani Persian†)
- Persid
- Fars (numerous SW Fars dialects: Heshnizi, Gavbandi, Dashtini, Kangani, Jami, Bardesuni (Bardestani), Khenesiri, Bordekhuni, Dashtiyati (Dashti), Tangesiri (incl. Delvari), Khormuji, Khayizi, Ahrami, Bushehri, Bandar Rig (Fars of Bandar Rig), Genaveyi, Deylami (Liravi)†, Dashtesuni (Dashtestani), Judeo-Shirazi, etc.)
There is also a recently described, and as yet unclassified, Batu'i language that is presumably Western Iranian.[1] Extinct Deilami is sometimes classified in the Caspian branch.An Iranian Khalaj language has been claimed, but does not exist; the Khalaj speak a Turkic language.
Many of the languages and dialects spoken in Markazi and Isfahan provinces are giving way to Persian in the younger generations.[5]
It is to note that the Caspian languages (incl. Adharic), the central dialects, and the Zaza-Gorani languages are likely descended from a later form of Median with varying amounts of Parthian substrata,[6] whereas the Semnani languages were likely descended from Parthian. [7]
See also
Bibliography
- Pierre Lecoq. 1989. "Les dialectes caspiens et les dialectes du nord-ouest de l'Iran," Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, ed. Rüdiger Schmitt. Wiesbaden: L. Reichert Verlag, 1989; p. 99.
Further reading
- Kontovas, Nicholas. "Contact and the diversity of noun-noun subordination strategies among Western Iranic languages."
- Hanaway Jr, William L. "Persian and West Iranic: History and State of Research: Part One: Persian Grammar.[Trends in Linguistics: State-of-the-Art Reports, No. 12]." (1982): 56–58.
Notes and References
- Erik Anonby, Mortaza Taheri-Ardali & Amos Hayes (2019) The Atlas of the Languages of Iran (ALI). Iranian Studies 52. A Working Classification
- Gernot Windfuhr, 2009, "Dialectology and Topics", The Aryanic Languages, Routledge, pp. 12–15.
- Borjian, Habib, “Kerman Languages”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Volume 16, Issue 3, 2017, pp. 301–315. https://www.academia.edu/24297004/Kermans_Languages_1._Persian_2._Garmsiri_Language_type_
- http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/central-dialects Central dialects
- Borjian, Habib (2019) Journal of Persianate Studies 2, Median Succumbs to Persian after Three Millennia of Coexistence: Language Shift in the Central Iranian Plateau, p. 70
- Pierre Lecoq. 1989. "Les dialectes caspiens et les dialectes du nord-ouest de l'Iran," Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum. Ed. Rüdiger Schmitt. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, p. 297