Western Iranian languages
Western Iranian | |
---|---|
Geographic distribution | Southwest Asia, Central Asia, Caucasus, and western South Asia |
Linguistic classification | Indo-European
|
Subdivisions |
|
Glottolog | nort3177 (Northwestern Iranian) sout3157 (Southwestern Iranian) |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Distribution_of_Iranian_Languages.png/500px-Distribution_of_Iranian_Languages.png)
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
[edit]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
[edit]- Northwest: Median†, etc.
- Southwest: Old Persian†, etc.
Middle Iranian period
[edit]- Northwest: Parthian†, etc.
- Southwest: Middle Persian†, etc
Modern period (Neo-Iranian)
[edit]
- Northwestern Iranian
- Caspian
- Gilaki (incl. Rudbari)
- Mazandarani (incl. Tabari, Shahmirzadi)
- Gorgani†
- Daylami†
- Semnani
- Adharic (Azari)
- Old Adhari†
- Tatic
- Talysh (north-central)
- Gozarkhani (Alamuti)
- North: Harzandi, Karingani (Kalasuri, Khoynarudi)
- Kho'ini
- South
- Alviri-Vidari (Alviri, Vidari)
- Ashtiani (Amora’i, Kahaki, Tafreshi), Vafsi
- Razajerdi, Eshtehardi, Takestani (Ramandi, Kharaqani)
- Central
- Khalkhalic: Kajali, Koresh-e Rostam (Karani), Shahrudi (incl. southern Talysh)
- Maraghei
- Upper Taromi, Kabatei
- Tatic
- Old Adhari†
- Kurdic (acc. Anonby)[4]
- Kurdish
- Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji)
- Central Kurdish (Sorani)
- Southern Kurdish (incl. Laki and Kurdali)
- Zaza–Gorani
- Kurdish
- Balochi (incl. Koroshi)
- Khuri (Kavir)
- Caspian
- Central Plateau[5]
- 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)[6]
- 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,[7] whereas the Semnani languages were likely descended from Parthian. [8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Northwestern Aryan". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Southwestern Aryan". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. - ^ Anonby, Erik John (2021), "Atlas of the Languages of Iran A working classification", Languages of Iran, retrieved 25 May 2019
- ^ a b Central dialects, Gernot Windfuhr, Encyclopedia Iranica
- ^ Borjian, Habib, “Kerman Languages”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Volume 16, Issue 3, 2017, pp. 301–315. [1]
- ^ 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
Bibliography
[edit]- 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
[edit]- 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.