Iranian Language Reform in the Twentieth Century:Did the First FarhangestÄn (1935-40) Succeed?
In: Journal of Persianate StudiesSearch for other papers by Ludwig Paul in
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Abstract
In the period 1935-1940, the Iranian Language Academy (FarhangestÄn) proposed over 1,600 indigenous terms to replace words of Arabic or European origin. Seventy years later, an assessment of the effects or âsuccessâ of this activity may be attempted. The FarhangestÄnâs success cannot be measured easily, by counting the successful words. A study of it requires a strict definition of the term âsuccessâ and a detailed analysis of the origin, semantics, usage, stylistics, etc. of each word. The analysis proposed here, using sixty terms, yields a scale of increasing success along which the coined terms may be arranged. The article aims to show that any exact numbers indicating the FarhangestÄnâs word-replacing success are of limited value; and that it is more interesting to ask how the new terms have been established and how they have systematically changed, and often enriched, the vocabulary of Persian.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 917 | 119 | 9 |
| Full Text Views | 217 | 15 | 1 |
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Iranian Language Reform in the Twentieth Century:Did the First FarhangestÄn (1935-40) Succeed?
In: Journal of Persianate StudiesSearch for other papers by Ludwig Paul in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
In the period 1935-1940, the Iranian Language Academy (FarhangestÄn) proposed over 1,600 indigenous terms to replace words of Arabic or European origin. Seventy years later, an assessment of the effects or âsuccessâ of this activity may be attempted. The FarhangestÄnâs success cannot be measured easily, by counting the successful words. A study of it requires a strict definition of the term âsuccessâ and a detailed analysis of the origin, semantics, usage, stylistics, etc. of each word. The analysis proposed here, using sixty terms, yields a scale of increasing success along which the coined terms may be arranged. The article aims to show that any exact numbers indicating the FarhangestÄnâs word-replacing success are of limited value; and that it is more interesting to ask how the new terms have been established and how they have systematically changed, and often enriched, the vocabulary of Persian.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 917 | 119 | 9 |
| Full Text Views | 217 | 15 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 161 | 35 | 3 |
