Western Iranian languages

Western Iranian
Western Iranian
Geographic; distribution	Southwest Asia, Central Asia, Caucasus, and western South Asia
Linguistic classification	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Iranian Western Iranian; ; ;
Subdivisions	Northwestern Iranian; Southwestern Iranian;
Glottolog	nort3177 (Northwestern Iranian); sout3157 (Southwestern Iranian)

The Western Iranian languages or Western Iranic 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]^[3]

Old Iranian period

Northwest: Median†, etc.
Southwest: Old Persian†, etc.

Middle Iranian period

Northwest: Parthian†, etc.
Southwest: Middle Persian†, etc

Modern period (Neo-Iranian)

Northwestern Iranian
- Caspian
  - Gilaki (incl. Rudbari)
  - Mazandarani (incl. Tabari, Shahmirzadi)
  - Gorgani†
  - Daylami†
- Semnani
  - Semnani
  - Sangisari
  - Lasgerdi-Sorkhei (incl. Aftari)
- Adharic (Azari)
  - Old Adhari†
    - Tatic
      - Talysh (north-central)
      - Gozarkhani (Alamuti)
      - North: Harzandi, Karingani (Kalasuri, Khoynarudi)
      - Kho'ini
      - South
        Alviri-Vidari (Alviri, Vidari)
        Ashtiani (Amora’i, Kahaki, Tafreshi), Vafsi
        Razajerdi, Eshtehardi, Takestani (Ramandi, Kharaqani)
    - Central
      - Khalkhalic: Kajali, Koresh-e Rostam (Karani), Shahrudi (incl. southern Talysh)
      - Maraghei
      - Upper Taromi, Kabatei
- Kurdic (acc. Anonby)^[4]
  - Kurdish
    - Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji)
    - Central Kurdish (Sorani)
    - Southern Kurdish (incl. Laki and Kurdali)
  - Zaza–Gorani
    - Zazaki
    - Gorani (incl. Hawrami, Sarli, Shabaki, Bajalani)
- Balochi (incl. Koroshi)
- Khuri (Kavir)
Central Plateau^[5]
- Sivandi
- Judeo-Hamadani, Judeo-Borujerdi
- NW = Khunsari (Judeo-Khunsari, Judeo-Khomeini, Vanishani, Mahallati, Vanishani, Judeo-Golpaygani, etc.)
- NE = Kashanic: Soi (incl. Abuzaydabadi), Natanzi
- SW = Gazi (many dialects)
- Southeastern: Zoroastrian Dari (Zoroastrian Yazdi, Judeo-Kermani), Nayini

Southwestern Iranian
- Bashkardi (Southern Bashkardi)
- Garmsiri (Northern Bashkardi, Bandari, Minabi/Minowi–Hormozi: Hormozgan)^[6]
- Kumzari
- Achomi (Larestani)
- Caucasian Tat (SW Tat): Tat, Judeo-Tat
- Persian (dialects: Iranian Persian & Judeo-Persian, Dari (incl. Madaglashti), Tajik & Judeo-Bukharic, Hazaragi, Aimaq, Sistani, Pahlavani Persian†)
- Persid
  - Shushtari–Dezfuli
  - Luri (incl. Bakhtiari)
  - Kuhmareyi (incl. Davani)
  - (see also Persid dialects of Khuzestan)
- Fars (numerous SW Fars dialects: Heshnizi, Gavbandi, Dashtini, Kangani, Jami, Bardesuni (Bardestani), Khenesiri, Bordekhuni, Dashtiyati (Dashti), Tangesiri (incl. Delvari), Khormuji, Khayizi, Ahrami, Bushehri, Bandar Rig (Fars of Bandar Rig), Genaveyi, Deylami (Liravi)†, Dashtesuni (Dashtestani), Judeo-Shirazi, etc.)

There is also a recently described, and as yet unclassified, Batu'i language that is presumably Western Iranian.^[1] Extinct Deilami is sometimes classified in the Caspian branch.An Iranian Khalaj language has been claimed, but does not exist; the Khalaj speak a Turkic language.

Many of the languages and dialects spoken in Markazi and Isfahan provinces are giving way to Persian in the younger generations.^[5]

It is to note that the Caspian languages (incl. Adharic), the central dialects, and the Zaza-Gorani languages are likely descended from a later form of Median with varying amounts of Parthian substrata,^[7] whereas the Semnani languages were likely descended from Parthian. ^[8]

References

Bibliography

Pierre Lecoq. 1989. "Les dialectes caspiens et les dialectes du nord-ouest de l'Iran," Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, ed. Rüdiger Schmitt. Wiesbaden: L. Reichert Verlag, 1989; p. 99.

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