Middle Persian

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Middle Persian
Spoken in:	Iran
Language extinction:	evolved into Modern Persian by the 9th century
Language family:	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Iranian Middle Persian
Language codes
ISO 639-1:	none
ISO 639-2:	`—`
ISO 639-3:	—
Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. See IPA chart for English for an English-based pronunciation key.

Middle Persian or Pahlavi is the Iranian language spoken during Sassanian times. It descended from Old Persian.

Middle Persian was usually written in the Pahlavi script. The language was also written down in the Manichaean script by Persian-speaking Manichaeans.

1 Middle-Persian' Literature and Grammar
2 Transition to Modern Persian
3 A Comparison Table of Pahlavi with other Iranian Languages
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Middle-Persian' Literature and Grammar

In the classification of the Iranian languages, the Middle Period includes those languages which were common in Iran from the third century B.C. (the fall of the Achaemenids) up to the seventh century A.D. (the fall of the Sasanians). One of these languages is Pahlavi or the Zoroastrian Middle Persian or which is a continuation of the Old Persian.

The most important and distinct development in the structure of Iranian languages in the Middle Period (in the Mid-Wes Iran, Iranian languages), is its transformation from the synthetic form of the Old Period (Old Persian and Avestan) to an analytic form i.e. the nouns, pronouns, and the adjectives lost their conjugative suffixes and changed to invariable words used in all grammatical cases; the gender and the dual number, also, disappeared. Prepositions were used to indicate the different roles of words, and the tenses changed from a synthetic form to composite ones.

One can imagine that this development had to do with the fact that Old Persian, as it appears in the inscriptions of Bistun and Persepolis, could have not possibly been the language of conversation, and, it could not have been simplified so much as is evident in the Zoroastrian Middle Persian or Pahlavi, during only 500 years. Thus, one can conclude that Old Persian had been the language of literary writing, which was very different from the spoken language, and although written Persian or Pahlavi was its continuation, it was not a direct one and was greatly influenced by the spoken form of the language.

[edit] Transition to Modern Persian

The modern-day descendant of Middle Persian is Modern Persian. The changes between late Middle and early Modern Persian were very gradual, and in the 10th-11th centuries, Middle Persian texts were still intelligible to speakers of early Modern Persian. However, there are definite differences that had taken place already by the 10th century:

Sound changes, such as
- the dropping of unstressed initial vowels
- the epenthesis of vowels in initial consonant clusters
- the loss of -g when word final
- change of initial w- to either b- or (gw- → g-)
Changes in the verbal system, notably the loss of distinctive subjunctive and optative forms, and the increasing use of verbal prefixes to express verbal moods
Changes in the vocabulary, especially the substitution of a large number of Arabic loanwords for words of native origin
The substitution of Arabic script for Pahlavi script.

Pahlavi Middle Persian is the language of quite a large body of Zoroastrian literature which details the traditions and prescriptions of the Zoroastrian religion which was the state religion of Sassanid Iran (224 to ca. 650) before Iran was invaded by the Arab armies that spread Islam.

[edit] A Comparison Table of Pahlavi with other Iranian Languages

English	Zazaki	Kurdish	Pashto	Balochi	Mazandarani	Tajik	Persian	Middle Persian	Parthian	Old Persian	Avestan
beautiful	rind	rind/delal/cûwan	shkulay, xkulay	sharr, soherâ		zebo	zibâ/ xubchehreh	hučihr, hužihr	hužihr	naiba	vahu-, srîra
blood	gûn	xwîn	wina	hon	xin	xun	xūn	xōn	xōn		vohuni
bread	nûn	nan	ḍoḍəy/roṭəy (from Indic)	nân, nagan	nân	non	nân	nân	nân
bring	ârdena	anîn/hênan	rāwṛəl	âvardan	biyârden	ovardan	âvardan	âwurdan, āwāy-, āwar-, bar-	āwāy-, āwar-, bar-	bara-	bara, bar-
brother	birâ	bira	wror	barādar	birâr	barodar	barādar	brād, brâdar	brād, brādar	brâtar	brâtar-
come	amaena	hatin	rātləl	áhag, âmadan	enen	omadan	âmadan	âmadan, awar	awar, čām	ây-, âgam	âgam-
cry	bermayish	girîn	žāṛəl	taukh	bərmə/ qâ	giristan	geristan	griy-, bram-
dark	târî	tarî	tiārə	thár	siyo	torîk	târîk	târīg/k	târīg, târēn		sâmahe, sâma
daughter	kena	keç/kîj/kenîşk/dot	lūr	mind	kijâ/ dether	duxtar	doxtar	duxtar	duxt, duxtar		duxδar
day	roc	roj	wradz	roshe	rez/ reoj	rûz	rûz	rōz		raucah-
do	kerdena	kirin/kirdin	kawəl	khandagh	hâkerden	kardan	kardan	kardan	kartan	kạrta-	kәrәta-
door	ber	derge/derî	war	gelo	bəli	dar	dar	dar	dar, bar	duvara-	dvara-
die	merdena	mirin	mṛəl/məṛedəl	mireg	bamirden	murdan	murdan	murdan		mạriya-	mar-
donkey	her	ker	xar	her	xar	xar	xar	xar
egg	hak	hêk	hagəy	heyg	merqâna	tuxm	toxm	toxmag, xâyag	taoxmag, xâyag		taoxma-
earth	êrd (Arabic)	herd/erd (Arabic)	zməka/mzəka	zemin	zemi	zamin	zamin	zamīg	zamīg	zam-	zãm, zam, zem
evening	shund	êvar/êware	māshām, māxām	nəmâshun	begáh	begoh, shom	sarshab	êbêrag
eye	chım	çav	stərga	ch.hem, chem		chashm	chashm	chašm	chašm	čaša-	čašman-
father	pi	bav/bawk	plār	pyt, abbâ	piyer	padar	pedar	pidar	pid	pitar	pitar
fear	ters	tirs	wera	terseg	təshəpash	tars	tars	tars	tars	tạrsa-	tares-
fiancé	washte	dezgîran, destgirtî		nām zād		nomzad	nâm-zad	-	-
fine	wesh	xweş/baş	sha, xa	hosh		naghz, xub	xub	dârmag			srîra
finger	gisht	til/qamik	gūta/gwəta	lenkwk, mordâneg	angoos	angusht	angosht	angust			dišti-
fire	âdır	agir	or	âch, âs	tesh	otash	âtash, âzar	âdur, âtaxsh	ādur	âç-	âtre-/aêsma-
fish	mâse	masî	kab/māhī	mâhi		mohi	mâhi	mâhig	mâsyâg		masyô, masya
food / eat	werdena	xwarin	xwāṛa/xoṛəl	warag, vereg		xurok / xurdan	xorâk / xordan	parwarz / xwâr, xwardīg	parwarz / xwâr		hareθra / ad-, at-
go	shiyaena	çûn	tləl	jwzzegh	shunen / burden	raftan	raftan	raftan, shudan	ay-	ai-	ay-, fra-vaz
god	homâ	xwedê	xwdāy	hwdâ		xudo	xodâ	bay, abragar		baga-	baya-
good	hol	baş, çak	sha, xa	jawáin, šarr	xâr	naghz, xub, neku	xub / neku	xūb, nêkog		vahu-	vohu, vaŋhu-
grass	vash	giya, riwek, şênkatî	wāshə, wāxə	rem		sabza, giyoh	sabzeh, giyâh	giyâ	dâlūg		urvarâ
great	gırd / pil	gir, mezin, gewre	stər	mastar	belang, pila	buzurg	bozorg	wuzurg, pīl		vazạrka-	uta-, avañt
hand	dest	dest/lep	lās	dast	dess	dast	dast	dast	dast	dasta-	zasta-
head	ser	ser	sar	saghar	kalə	sar, kalla	sar, kalleh	sar
heart	zerri	dil	zṛə	dil, hatyr	dil	dil	del	dil	dil		aηhuš
horse	estoar	hesp	ās (masc.), aspa (fem.)	asp	istar	asp	asb, astar	asp, stōr	asp, stōr	aspa	aspa-
house	ke(ye)	mal	kor	log	səre	xona	xâneh	xânag			demâna-, nmâna-
hunger	vêyshan	birçîtî/birsiyetî	lwaža	shudhagh	veyshna	gurusnagi	gorosnegi	gursag, shuy
language	ziwan / zun	ziman	žəba	zevân	ziwân	zabon	zabân	zuwân	izβân	hazâna-	hizvâ-
laugh	huyaena	kenîn	xandəl	khendegh, hendeg		xandidan	xandidan	xandīdan		karta	Syaoθnâvareza-
life	jewiyaena	jiyan/jîn	žwand	zendegih		zindagi	zendegi	zīndagīh, zīwišnīh	žīwahr, žīw-		gaêm, gaya-
man	merd	mêr/piyaw	saṛay	merd	merd	mard	mard	mard	mard	martiya-	mašîm, mašya
moon	ashmê	heyv/mang	spožməy/spogməy	máh	mithra	moh	māh	māh	māh	mâh-	måŋha-
mother	mae	dayik	mor	mât, mâs	mâr	modar	mādar	mādar	mādar	mâtar	mâtar-
mouth	fek	dev/dem	xwla	daf		dahon	dahân	dahân, rumb			åŋhânô, âh, åñh
name	nâme	nav	num	num	num	nom	nâm	nâm		nâman	nãman
night	shewe	şev	shpa	shaw, šap	sheow	shab	shab	shab		xšap-	xšap-
open	rakerdena	vekirin	prānistəl/prānatəl	božagh	vâ-hekârden	kushodan, boz kardan	bâz-kardan	abâz-kardan		būxtaka-	būxta-
peace	kotpy	aştî	rogha	ârâm		oshti, oromish	âshti, ârâmeš	âštih, râmīšn	râm, râmīšn	šiyâti-	râma-
pig	xoz	beraz	xug	xug	xi	xuk	xūk	xūk			varâza (wild pig)
place	ja	cih/şûn	dzāy	hend		joy, jo	jâ	gâh	gâh	gâθu-	gâtu-, gâtav-
read	wendena	xwendin	lwastəl	wánagh	baxinden	xondan	xândan	xwândan
say	vatena	gotin/wutin	wayəl	gushagh	baotena	guftan	goftan	guftan, gōw-, wâxtan	gōw-	gaub-	mrû-
sister	wae	xweşk	xor	gwhâr	xâxer	xohar	xâhar	xwahar
small	qıch	piçûk	ləž, ləg/woṛ/kuchnay	lekem	pətik, bechuk, perushk	xurd	kuchak, kam	kam, rangas	kam	kamna-	kamna-
son	qıj	kur	zway, zuy	pisar, phusagh	pisser	pisar	pesar	pur, pusar	puhr	puça	pūθra-
soul		giyan	rūh (Arabic), sā	rūh (Arabic)		ravon	ravân	rūwân, gyân	rūwân, gyân		urvan-
spring	wusar	bihar	psarlay		wehâr	bahor	bahâr	wahâr		vâhara-	θūravâhara-
tall	berz	bilind/berz	lwaṛ	bwrz		baland	boland / bârez	buland, borz	bârež		barez-
three	hire	sê	dre	se	se	se	se	sê	hrē	çi-	θri-
village	dew	gund, dê	kəlay	helk	deh	deh, rusto	deh	wiž	dahyu-	vîs-, dahyu-
want	wastena	xwestin/wîstin	ghwāṛəl	lotagh	bexanen	xostan	xâstan	xwâstan
water	awe	av	obə	âf	ab	ob	âb	âb	âb	âpi	avô-
when	key	kengê	kəla, či	ked		kay	kay	kay	ka		čim-
wind	va	ba	bād	gwáth	wâ	bod	bâd	wâd			vâta-
wolf	verg	gur	līwə	gurkh	varg, gəorge	gurg	gorg	gurg		varka-	vehrka
woman	jeniye	jin/afret	shədza, xəza	jan	zəna	zan	zan	zan	žan		hâīrīšī-, nâirikâ-
year	serre	sal	kāl	sâl		sol	sâl	sâl		θard	ýâre, sarәd
yes / no	ya / ne	erê / na	ho, wo / na	ere / na		ha / ne	âri / na	hâ / ney	hâ / ney	yâ / nay, mâ	yâ / noit, mâ
yesterday	vizêr	duh/dwênê	pərun	zí	direz	dina, diruz	diruz	dêrûž

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Iranian Languages
Eastern Iranian
Old Iranian	Avestan † \| Scythian (including Saka)† \| Sogdian†
Middle Iranian	Bactrian† \| Khwarezmian† \| Khotanese† (possibly a Saka dialect) \| Ossetic \| Sacian†
Modern Iranian	Bartangi \| Hidukush Group \| Ishkashmi \| Karakoram Group \| Khufi \| Munji \| Oroshori \| New Ossetic \| Parachi \| Pashto \| Roshani (Roshni) \| Sanglechi \| Sarikoli \| Shughni \| Wakhi \| Vanji † \| Waziri \| Yaghnobi \| Yidgha \| Yazgulami \| Zebaki
Western Iranian
Old Iranian	Median† \| Old Persian (Aryan)†
Middle Iranian	Parthian Pahlavi† \| Sasanian Pahlavi†
Modern Iranian	Alviri (Vidâri) \| Ashtiani \| Azari† \| Baluchi \| Bashkardi \| Central Iran \| Persian Dari \| Dari (Zoroastrian) \| Gilaki \| Gorani \| Harzani \| Judeo-Persian \| Kurdish Kurmanji \| Laki \| Luri \| Bakhtiari Lori \| Mazandarani \| Ormuri \| Sangsari \| Parachi \| New-Persian \| Sorani (Kurdish) \| Tajik \| Taleshi \| Tat \| Tati \| Vafsi \| Zazaki
Extinct †