Persian Language and Reconstruction of Iranian Identity in Abbasid Era: A Historical Approach

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Doctoral student of Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Sciences, Science and Research Unit of Azad University

2 Associate Professor, Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Sciences, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, Supervisor.

3 Associate Professor, Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Sciences, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, Consultant Professor.

10.22081/hiq.2023.64492.2277

Abstract

The Persian language, especially its developments from the Middle Persian to Dari Persian requires the historical and identity related as well as the literary and linguistic studies. Appreciating the historical and political factors affecting the preservation of the Persian language by the Iranians and at the same time, taking advantage of the Arabic alphabet for its written presentation, requires reviewing of the historical context of Iranian linguistic developments, particularly in the first centuries After Hijrah. During that period, the Iranian witnessed the confrontation of the two Pahlavi Persian language and the Arabic language in their daily lives, and Arabic, as the language of religion of that time, was on its way to become the primary language of the Iranian. The present study has investigated this issue relying on the analytical method of research as well as the ancient and modern sources. The research findings indicate that the historical conditions on the one hand, and the motivation of Iranians to find their identity against the Muslim Arabs on the other hand, led to the development of a new language called Dari Persian which later became the main resource of Iranian identity. The officialization of this language caused the Iranian identity to become more distinct from the other ethnic groups.

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Main Subjects


Article Title [العربیة]

دراسة تاریخیة فی اللغة الفارسیة وإعادة بناء الهویة الإیرانیة فی العصر العباسی

Abstract [العربیة]

إنّ اللغة الفارسیة وخاصة تطوراتها من الفارسیة الوسطى حتی اللغة الدریة، بالإضافة إلى الدراسات الأدبیة واللغویة، تتطلب دراسات تاریخیة وهویة. إن التعرف إلی العوامل التاریخیة والسیاسیة المؤثرة فی الحفاظ على اللغة الفارسیة لدى الإیرانیین وعدم استبدال اللغة العربیة مکانها، وفی الوقت نفسه استخدام الأبجدیة العربیة لتقدیمها کتابة، یتطلب إعادة قراءة الخلفیة التاریخیة للتطورات اللغویة الإیرانیة، خاصة فی القرون الأولى الهجریة. فی ذلک الوقت، شهد الإیرانیون مواجهة اللغتین الفارسیة البهلویة والعربیة فی حیاتهم الیومیة، وکادت اللغة العربیة، باعتبارها لغة الدین والعالم فی تلک الأیام، أن تکون لغة الإیرانیین الأولى. وقد حاول البحث الحالی دراسة هذا الموضوع بالمنهج التحلیلی والاستعانة بالمصادر القدیمة والحدیثة. وتظهر نتائج البحث أن الظروف التاریخیة من جهة، ودوافع الإیرانیین لإیجاد هویتهم ضد العرب المسلمین من جهة أخرى، ساعدت فی ولادة لغة جدیدة تسمى اللغة الدریة من داخل هذا التحدی، وأصبحت فی المستقبل الملجأ الرئیسی للهویة الإیرانیة. ومع الاعتراف بهذه اللغة أصبحت هویة الإیرانیین أکثر تمیزًا عن المجموعات العرقیة الأخرى

Keywords [العربیة]

  • اللغة الفارسیة
  • الهویة الإیرانیة
  • القرون الإسلامیة الأولی
  • الشعر الفارسی
  • الأبجدیة العربیة
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