Western Iranian languages
| Western Iranian | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Southwest Asia, Central Asia, Caucasus, and western South Asia |
| Linguistic classification | Indo-European
|
| Subdivisions |
|
| Glottolog | west2794 |
The Western Iranian 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]
- Old Iranian
- Southwest: Old Persian†
- Northwest: Median†
- Middle Iranian
- Southwest: Middle Persian†
- Northwest: Parthian†
- Neo-Iranian
- Northwestern I
- Kurdish languages
- Zaza–Gorani languages
- Zaza language (dialects: Kirmanjki, Dimli)
- Gorani language (dialects: Hawrami, Bajelan)
- Shabaki language
- Northwestern II
- Balochi: Balochi, ?Koroshi
- Khuri (Kavir)
- Tatic
- Talysh
- Tati/Azari: Old Azeri†, Harzandi, Karingani, Kho'ini, Khalkhal, Upper Taromi, Rudbari, Southern Tati, Eshtehardi, dialects N/NE of Qazvin
- ? (Talysh? Tati?): Gozarkhani, Kajali, Koresh-e Rostam, Maraghei, Razajerdi, Shahrudi
- Tafresh (transitional): Ashtiani (Amora’i, Kahaki), Vafsi, Alviri-Vidari (Alviri, Vidari), ?Judeo-Hamadani
- Central / Central Plateau (Kermanic)[3]
- Northwestern: Khunsari, Mahallati, Vanishani, Judeo-Golpaygani
- Southwestern: Gazi, Sedehi, Ardestani, Nohuji, Sajzi, Jarquya’i, Rudashti, Kafrudi, Kafruni, Judeo-Esfahani
- Northeastern: Arani, Bidgoli, Delijani, Nashalji, Abuzaydabadi, Qohrudi, Badrudi, Kamu’i, Jowshaqani, Meyma’i, Abyana’i, Soi, Badi, Natanzi, Kasha’i, Tari, Tarqi, Judeo-Kashani
- Southeastern: Zoroastrian Dari, Nayini, Zefra’i, Varzenei, Tudeshki, Keyjani, Abchuya’i
- Semnani:[4] Semnani, Sangisari, Lasgerdi-Sorkhei (incl. Aftari)
- Caspian: Gilaki (incl. Taleqani), Mazandarani, Gorgani†, ?Deilami
- Southwestern (cf. dialects of Fars)
- Persian (dialects: Iranian Persian, Dari Persian (Madaglashti), Tajik Persian, Hazaragi Persian, Aimaq, Sistani, Pahlavani Persian†, Dzhidi Persian (Judeo-Persian), Judeo-Bukharic, Muslim/Christian Tat, Judeo-Tat,
- Persid
- Khuzestani/Shushtari and Dezfuli
- Luri (dialects: Luri, Mamasani, Kohkiluyeh, Bakhtiari)
- Sivandi
- Northwestern Fars
- Kuhmareyi (incl. Davani)
- Achomi–Gulf
An Iranian Khalaj language has been claimed, but does not exist; the Khalaj speak a Turkic language.
The dialects of Central Iran are a geographic rather than genetic grouping. They are spoken mostly in Markazi and Isfahan provinces. Many of them are giving way to Persian in the younger generations.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Gernot Windfuhr, 2009, "Dialectology and Topics", The Iranian Languages, Routledge, pp. 12–15.
- ^ Languages preceded by question marks, and many of the varieties of Persian, are from other sources. The dialects of the Central Plateau are from the source provided there.
- ^ a b Central dialects, Gernot Windfuhr, Encyclopedia Iranica
- ^ Glottolog changed the designation of this language family from "Semnanic" (https://glottolog.org/files/glottolog-2.7/semn1240.htmt) to "Komisenian"(https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/komi1276). This designation has been also adopted by Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Komisenian_languages)
- ^ Borjian, Habib, “Kerman Languages”, Encyclopaedia Iranica. Volume 16, Issue 3, 2017, pp. 301-315. [1]
Bibliography
- Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, ed. Rüdiger Schmitt. Wiesbaden: L. Reichert Verlag, 1989; p. 99.
Further reading
- "Contact and the diversity of noun-noun subordination strategies among Western Iranic languages" (PDF). Nicholas Kontovas, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
- 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.