Iranian languages

The Iranian languages ​​(sometimes also: iranoarische languages ​​) form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. Worldwide there are about 150 million people who speak one of about 50 neuiranischen languages ​​as their mother tongue, other 30-50 million use an Iranian language as a second or third language.

• Persian
• Pashto
• Balochi
• Kurdish

• 6.1 Overview
• 6.2 The writings of the Old Iranian period

• 7.1 Definition of the period
• 7.2 Weak occupied Middle Iranian languages
• 7.3 By text corpora testified Middle Iranian languages
• 7.4 Ostiranische features
• 7.5 The headings of the Middle Iranian period

• 9.1 General
• 9.2 Specially

Term " Iranian language "

The name " Iranian languages ​​" is a term in linguistics - in this sense used starting with 1836 first appeared to the Indian scholar Christian Lassen and later the orientalist and Iranist Friedrich von Spiegel, the Eranisch preferred as a term - and refers to a language group, the Indo-Aryan with the languages ​​of the Indian subcontinent is more closely related and together with these forms the Indo-Iranian or Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. This term is derived from the traditional notion neupers since time immemorial. Īrān from mitt Elpersbüttel. Eran. He goes on Old Pers. ariya - ( = avest. airiia ) from iran. arya - ( = "Aryan ", " Aryans " ) back, what has a less political than primarily an ethnic content and the non- refers to the totality of Iranian languages ​​and peoples by political boundary lines to be marked area of ​​distribution.

Since the adjective " Iranian " today primarily with the same state, " Iran " is associated, Gilbert Lazard, specialist sat in the field of Iranian languages ​​, since 1977 consistently for the use of the name " iranoarische languages ​​" as analogical counterpart to " Indo-Aryan " a. He picked up the term, which was introduced in the 19th century by Robert Needham Cust, and was also used by the orientalists Max Müller and George Grierson, but according to Schmitt ( 1994) did not succeed. The linguist Ahmad Hasan Dani still use the term, Iranoarisch ' and declares that, Iranian ' as a short-form is used more frequently. This designation point is underscored by the Indo-Iranian languages ​​historical position structurally better than the more common term Iranian language family.

An ethno-linguistic meaning of the term is clear in some places: on royal inscriptions to Darius I ( 522-486 BC) and Xerxes I call ( 486-465 BC) not only as " Persians " and " son of a Persian ," but also as " Aryans " ( Old Persian Ariya ) and "Aryan origin " ( Ariya CICA); the Sassanid kings of the 3rd century (from Shapur I. ) could be dub as "king of the kings of Eran and non - Eran " ( mittelpers. Sahan Šāh Eran u Anéran ).

Very few scientists today use the spelling " eranisch ". Although this is the loud historically accurate variant, has been in the German language in the 20th century - clearly enforced " Iranian " - even in the technical literature.

The languages ​​and their geographical distribution

The following Iranian languages ​​are spoken by at least one million people:

• Persian ( broadly defined) 55-70 million, with approximately 110 million speakers second (Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan) West Persian 35-40 million, with second- speakers more than 50 million ( Iran)
• East Persian 20-30 million Dari 15 million ( Afghanistan)
• 4.5 million Tajik (Tajikistan)
• Hazara 2.5 million ( 2.2 million Afghanistan, Iran 300,000 )
• Aimaq 650,000 (Afghanistan)
• Judeo- Persian 110.000 (Uzbekistan: Bukhara, Iran, Israel)

Other important according to the number of its speakers neuiranische languages ​​:

• Ossetian 600,000 ( North Caucasus: Georgia, Russia Ossetia )
• Gorani 500,000 ( Iraq, Iran)
• Tati 130,000 (Azerbaijan, Russia) Iranian- Azari and South Tati 220,000 (Azerbaijan, Iran)

Sources for the numbers of speakers: Ethnologue and the web link below to continue current year books like Fischer World Almanac and Yearbook of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Classification: Overview

The classification of the Iranian languages ​​occurs primarily along linguistic, secondarily from a geographic perspective. An overview of the now generally recognized branches of the Iranian gives the following pedigree list. The four main groups - Northwest, Southwest; Northeast, Southeast - are described in detail in the next section.

Iranian 60 languages ​​, including 16 † ( 150 million speakers)

• Westiranisch 33 languages ​​, including 5 † ( 115 million speakers) Northwest Iranian † Medisch
• Parthian †
• Caspian
• Kurdish Zentraliranisch or Kermanisch
• Zaza - Gorani
• Balochi

• Persian
• Luri
• Fars
• Larestani
• Bashkardi
• Kumzari
• Deed

• Northeast Iranian Avestan †
• Scythian- Ossetian
• Bactrian †
• Sogdian - Yagnobi
• Choresmisch †

• Pashtu
• Munji - Yidgha
• Saka - Wakhi
• Shugni - Roshani - Yazghulami
• Sanglichi - Zebaki
• Ormuri parathyroid ski

Note: formerly known as " Pamir languages ​​" designated branches Munji - Yidgha, Wakhi, Shugni - Yazghulami and Sanglichi - Zebaki do not represent genetic unit, but form equal sub-branches of the Southeastern Iranian. The Ormuri parathyroid ski heard according to recent findings for East -Iranian (see CIL), Ethnologue used here an outdated classification.

Classification in detail

The following genetic classification of the Iranian languages ​​based on the Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum (CIL ) and R. Schmitt, The Iranian languages ​​in the past and present (see literature). It differs greatly from the partially given in Ethnologue from, especially on the question of the difference between dialect and language ( Ethnologue classifies many dialects as separate languages). The classification contains the most important dialects - based mainly on David Dalby, The Linguasphere register - and the current numbers of speakers (as of 2005, numerous examined and compared sources).

The traditional Old and Middle Iranian languages ​​are also inserted in the schema ( with reservation ). This should not be a statement about the direct descent of the languages ​​neuiranischen same subgroup. You can also derive from a non- traditional old or Middle Iranian language.

To illustrate: Genetic units are shown in bold (even if a unit consists of only one language ), the languages ​​in roman, italic dialects. In languages ​​without specifying the number of speakers are available in the literature to no reliable data; such languages ​​usually have at most a few thousand speakers. For better overview of the classification is made to the above summary of the main groups.

Northwest Iranian

Northwest Iranian 24 languages ​​, including 3 † ( 35 million speakers)

• Medisch Medisch † ( altiranisch )

• Parthian † ( mitteliranisch )

• Gilaki - Māzandarānī Gilaki ( 2.6 million) Dialects: Rashti, Galeshi, Lahijani, Rudi Lange, among others Matshiani
• Māzandarānī ( 3 million) Dialects: Sari, Baboli, Amoli, Tunekabuni, Shahi, Tshalusi, Velatrui, among others Shahmirzadi
• Gurgani †

• Semnani, Sangisari, Sorchei, Lasgerdi ( together 50 thousand)

• Taleshi ( 1 million) Dialects: Masally, Lerik, Lankaran, Astara; Vizne, Tularud, Asalem, Shand Arman, Masal, Masule, Zide, among others

• Iranian- Azari ( Iran- Tati, Southern Tati ) (220 thousand) Northwest Dialects: resin Andi, Keringani
• Northeastern dialects: Shali, Kajali, Hazzarudi, Taromi
• Southern dialects: Take Stani, Tshali, Sagzabadi, among others Eshtehardi
• Southwest dialects: Cho'ini and Others
• Southeast dialects: Rudbari, Alamuti and Others

• Kurdish Kurmandji ( Northwest Kurdish ) (20 to 30 million) Dialects: Tori; Sanjari, Judikani; Urfi, Botani, Bayazidi, Hakkari, Jezire; Aqrah, Dahuk, Amadiyah, Zakhu, Surchi; Qochani, Erzurumi, Birjandi, Alburzi; Herki, Shikaki

• Dialects: Arbili, Pishdari, Kirkuki, Khanaqini, Kushnawi, Mukri; Sulaimani, Bingirdi, Garrusi, Ardalani, Sanandaji, Warmawa, Garmiyani; Jafi; Judeo- Kurdish

• Dialects: Kolyai, Kermanshahi, Garrusi Sanjabi, Malekshahi, Bayray, Kalhori, Lakki, among others

• Tafreshi dialects: Vafsi, Ashtiani, Kahaki, Amorei; Alviri, Vidari and Others
• Mahallati - Chunsari dialects: Mahallati, Vonishuni, Chunsari
• Kashani - Natanzi Dialects: Judeo- Kashani, Arani; Qohrudi, Jowshaqani, Abyanei, Keshei, Farizandi, Yarandi, Meymei, Soi, Tari, Natanzi; Abu Zeyd Abadi, Badrudi

• Zaza ( Zazaki, Kirmanjki, Kirdki, Dimli, ' To Be' ) ( 2 million) Northern dialects: Dersim, Erzincan, Xozat, Varto, Hinis, Sariz, Kars, Zara (Sivas )
• Southern dialects, Bingöl, Elazığ, Piran, Heni, Siverek, Lice, Kulp, Motki, Kozluk, Sason

• Dialects: Gurani narrow sense: Gawhara, Kandula; Hawramani: Takht, Lahuni; Bajalani: Qasr -e Shirin, Zohab, Bin Qudra, Quratu; Mosul; Shabaki; Sarli et al

• Balochi ( Baloči ): 9 million, including 7.5 million in Pakistan, 1.4 million in Iran, Afghanistan 0.2 million Dialect group Rachshani: Kalati, Panjguri, Sarhaddi including Merv
• Dialect group Sarawani: Sarawan, Bampur, Iranshahr
• Dialect group Lashari: Lashar, Espakeh, Pip, Maskotan, Fanuc
• Dialect group Ketschi: Ketschi, Makrani
• Coastal dialects: Biaban, Nikshahr, Qasr -e Qand, Hudar; Mand, Dasht, Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara, Karachi
• Mountain dialects (Eastern Hill Dialects ): Mari Bugti among others

Southwest - Iranian

Southwest Iranian 9 languages ​​, including 2 † ( 65 to 70 million speakers)

• Persian Old Persian ( Achaemenid ) † ( altiranisch )
• Middle Persian ( Sassanid, Pahlavi ) † ( mitteliranisch )
• Modern Persian (60 million, S2 more than 50 million) West Persian ( 40 million) Dialects: Qazvini, Mahallati, Hamadani, Kashani, Isfahani, Sedehi, Kermani, Araki, Shirazi, Jahromi, Shahrudi, Kazeruni, among others Mashadi

• Dialects: Kabuli, Herati, Khorasani; Darwazi, Tangshewi, Warduji, Dehwari; Kundi, Zangi, Behsud, Yekaulang, Polada, Urusgani, Jaguri, Ghazni, Miradad; Taimuri, Taimani, Zuri, Zainal, Jamshidi, Firozhohi, Maliki, among others Mizmast

• Luri ( 3.5 million) Dialects: Mamasseni, Boirahmadi - Kuhgalui; Feyli; Bakhtiari ( stick long, long Cahr ); Gioni and Others

• Fars dialects: Buringuni, Masarmi, Somghuni, Papuni; Ardakani, Kalati, Chullari; Kondazi, Davani; Judeo- Fars

• Larestani ( Lari) Dialects: Bastak, Faramarz, Kamioka, Rahbar, Gerash, Bicha, Evaz, Lar, Honi, Arad, among others Fedaq

• Bashkardi Dialects: Bashkardi narrow sense; Rudbari, Bandar Abbas, Hormuz; Rudani, Berentini, Minabi; Rameshk, Geron, Darzeh; Sardasht Angorhan, Biverc, Bishnu; Durkan, Geshmiran, Maric; Shahbavek, Garahven, Piru, Parmont, Gwafr

• Kumzari ( 3 thousand ) Dialects: Musandam, Dibah

Northeast Iranian

Northeast Iranian 9 languages ​​, including 7 † ( 600 thousand speakers)

• Avestan Avestan ( Old - Avestan ) † (assignment uncertain)

• Bactrian †

• Scythian †
• Sarma table †
• Alanisch ( Altossetisch ) †
• Ossetian (600 thousand) Iron - dialects: Tagaur, Kurtat, Allaghir, Tual; Digor dialects: Urux, Mozdok

• Sogdian †
• Yagnobi ( 2 thousand )

• Choresmisch †

Southeast Iranian

Southeast Iranian 18 languages ​​, including 4 † ( 34.5 million speakers)

• Saka Khotan Saka †
• Tumshuqisch †

• Pashtu ( 34.5 million, of which 22.5 million Pakistan, 12 million Afghanistan) Southwest dialects: North - Afghani, Kandahari, Quetta
• Southeast dialects: Bannu, Waziri, Kakari, Sherani, spin- gate Tarin
• Northwest Dialects: Durrani, Kabuli, Central Ghilzai, Shinwari, inter alia,
• Northeastern dialects: NW- Pakistani, Peshawar, Yusufzay - Mohmandi, NO- Ghilzai, Afridi, Bangash, Orakzay

• Munji ( 4 thousand ) dialects: Northern, Central, Southern; Mamalgha
• Yidgha ( 6 thousand )

• Wakhi (30 thousand) Dialects: Wakhan; Badakhshan; Tashkurgan; Hunza ( Gojal ), Yarkhun, Yasin, Ishkoman

• Shugni - Roshani Shugni (45 thousand) Dialects: Baju, Shahdara, Barwoz
• Roshani (10 thousand) Dialects: Roshani narrow sense, Chufi
• Bartangi ( 3 thousand ) Dialects: Bartang - Ravmed, Basid
• Roshorvi ( Oroshori ) (2 thousand)
• Sariqoli ( 16 thousand ) Dialects: Tashkurgan, Vaca, Burangsal -Tung

• Yazghulami ( 4 thousand )

• Wanji †

• Sanglichi - Ishkashmi - Zebaki ( 2 thousand )

• Ormuri ( 1 thousand ) Dialects: Kanigurami, Baraki Barak - ( Logar )
• Europe ski ( 0.6 thousand) Dialects: Shotol, Goculan, Pačagan

Iranian speech periods

It shares the Iranian languages ​​historically into three periods a:

• Altiranisch called the Iranian languages ​​that have survived from before the 3rd century BC. These mainly include the preserved with rich textual tradition Avestan and Old Persian languages ​​(or Achaemenid ), then only poorly documented Medische, as well as some exploitable as a predecessor languages ​​mitteliranischer languages ​​ancient Iranian languages.

• Mitteliranisch called the Iranian languages ​​, which were handed down from the period from the 4th century BC to the Islamization of Iran in the 8th and 9th centuries. This includes Parthian, Middle Persian (or Sassanid ), Sogdian, Choresmisch, Saka ( Khotan Saka and Tumschuqisch ), Bactrian and the weak traditional languages ​​Sarma table, Jassisch and Altossetisch ( Alanisch ).
• Neuiranisch called all the later Iranian languages ​​, ie in particular those that are still spoken today ( around 50 languages ​​with about 190 million speakers ).

Altira niche languages

Survey

As Old Iranian languages ​​is called the oldest of the traditional Iranian languages ​​. Essentially, it involves the up to about 300 BC, written texts of the Avestan of the " Avesta " Corpus of Old Persian Zoroastrians and the Achaemenid royal inscriptions.

For others, not by textual tradition known languages ​​such as Median or Scythian can, however, only single words and names open up; usually forms from each another language speaking tradition that are explicitly assigned to one of those languages, or give yourself, linguistic criteria to recognize them as foreign elements in the tradition of language. Due to the large Middle Iranian languages ​​, it is assumed that there must be other unknown ancient Iranian languages ​​, the precursor stages of Middle Iranian languages ​​were.

The Avestan language of the Church is a kind of Zoroastrians, while for the Old Persian is only known that they must be the native language of the Achaemenid royal house. It is unclear to what purpose walled documents or inscriptions carved into from the ground level unreadable in rock walls - in a language that is understood only a few people in the kingdom.

The testimonies which have been handed down for nomadic tribes of the steppes of southern Russia Ukrainian- like Scythians, Sarmatians, etc., are difficult to classify. The Skythenexkurs Herodotus is the oldest account of this ancient Iranian peoples. Direct written records have not survived.

The term Black Sea, who is usually called Scythian, Greek Πόντος Άξεινος from iran. * Axšaina "Black (Sea) " is clearly in a system that refers to the cardinal points symbolized by color words, and therefore the " northern sea " means. The people who used this system must have lived south of this sea. Since the term was first used during the Achaemenid well for the Red Sea, it is natural to identify Iranian peoples as eponym of these seas.

The writings of the Old Iranian period

The Avesta is in his own handwriting, written the Avestaschrift. This is written from right to left, making sounds from quite accurately. She writes vowels and tried to reproduce the exact pronunciation.

For the Old Persian as " language of the King ' own writing was developed, inspired purely externally on the cuneiform by also wedges and angles are used. However, written from left to right font is an independent creation. The "alphabet" consists of word separators and 36 phonetic symbols, which can be assigned to four groups: 1 pure vowels (a, i, u ), 2 consonants with inhärierendem i- vowel, 3 Konsonantzeichen with inhärierendem u - vowel, 4 Konsonantzeichen with inhärierendem a- vowel or bare consonantal value. It was first used by Darius I in his great inscription on the rock of Bisotun ( Behistun ). Some problems arise because of the inconsistent vocal and Diphthongbezeichnungen and other numerous ambiguities. For the management or literary purposes this scripture has been hardly used. For this purpose, the Persians used the Aramaic ( in the Aramaic script ) and the Spätelamische (written in a variant of the real Mesopotamian cuneiform. )

Middle Iranian languages

Definition of period

The Middle Iranian period begins in the fourth century BC. Your end in the eighth or ninth century AD - partially still use later testified - is heralded by the Islamization of Iran by the Arabs storm. Then dominate the Iranian languages ​​neuiranische room. As compared to the Old Iranian period a fraction in terms of font usage is observed, because the Old Persian cuneiform script was under the Achaemenid, can be described as Middle Iranian languages ​​that denote their written usage and tradition, however, used in post- Achaemenid, pre-Islamic times. These include forms of language, such as the writings of the Manichaean, the Nestorian Syriac or Arabic script used in secondary Iran are written.

Poorly documented Middle Iranian languages

The numerous Sarmatian, Alans and related tribes, the north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea have settled, scarcely any direct language certificates. Most likely available for the research so far the Iranian Namensgut the imperial Greek inscriptions from the Greek colonies along the Black Sea North Coast - from the 4th century BC, the Sarmatians have entered this room - to which other names (people, tribal and geographical names) and words from literary and epigraphic tradition in a variety of languages ​​, and finally modern toponomastische continuers and loanwords (especially the added step out of the Alans in Hungarian ).

The Alans are also due to two texts written in Greek characters: firstly, the Alans ( " altossetische " ) inscription on a grave stele from the shores of the Great Zelentschuk ( a tributary of the Kuban ) from about the 10th to 12th century AD, on the other two verses in the epilogue to " Theogony " Byzantine Johannes Tzetzes ( mid 12th century ).

In addition to these tangible through text tradition Middle Iranian languages ​​there must have been more languages ​​and dialects. Thus, according to Indian sources in eastern Afghanistan, the people of the Kambojas dwelt, Indian grammarians quote for their individual language forms that indicate that this more precisely an Iranian, : has been a ostiranische language. Was the language of Parner, in addition to other languages ​​or dialects such as " Mittelmedisch " whose existence we must assume, that can be obtained at most indirectly, however, spoken, says Justin, " his sermo inter Scythicum Medicumque medius et utrimque mixtus " (41, 2,3), it is a mixture of Scythian language (ie Saka ) and Medisch.

By text corpora testified Middle Iranian languages

By partial extensive text corpora following Middle Iranian languages ​​are attested:

• Western Middle Iranian languages Parthian
• Middle Persian

• Sogdian
• Choresmisch
• Bactrian
• Saka in the forms Khotan Saka and Tumschuqisch

Ostiranische features

The ostiranische group is more conservative than the western Iranian in some respects, particularly in that the final syllables are not faded. Consequently, also the morphology and syntax have stopped altogether on an older date, as is partially preserved a far greater variety of form categories in nominal and verbal system. On the other hand, however, the Ostiranische from the West Iranian clearly ahead of new trends, particularly in phonology.

A variety of differences in individual traits makes the Ostiranische appear as rather uneven. Nevertheless, the exclusive innovations draw the Ostiranische out as a separate grouping of related language group, whose internal structure in South and Nordostiranisch but only on the neuiranischen development stage is palpable, as no südostiranisch as is attested to classifying language in earlier times.

The writings of the Middle Iranian period

In addition to the above mentioned documents ( Manichean, Nestorian Syriac and Arabic ) are four of the six testified Middle Iranian languages ​​characterized by similar to each other, resulting jointly from the Aramaic alphabet writing systems: Parthian, Middle Persian, Sogdian and Choresmisch preserve the unity formed under the Achaimenidenherrschaft while the Bactrian mostly have introduced a local variant of the Greek alphabet and the Khotan and Tumschuqsakische central Asian variants of the Indian Brahmi script. Aramaic script and language, which were used as a means of Achaemenid imperial administration throughout the empire, and which have settled especially in previously non-literate parts of the empire, were the absence of a viable alternative in the larger and smaller successor states of that kingdom in use. In doing so, however, took place in many ways a continuous change, for it was crucial that mostly translators were in these smaller polity, needed only for a single language pair, Aramaic and the respective Iranian language. Gradually triggered Iranian speakers from the Syrians, so that the texts were written down increasingly interspersed with Iranian words and Aramaic forms still used solidified with time to conventionally used symbols.