Persian language

[Parskahye]

My parents are fluent in Armenian--and they talk to each other in Armenian occasionally--but they grew up in Iran, so they speak primarily Persian. As a result, I learned to speak Persian; I barely know a little bit of Armenian, but not really. I'd say that I know Persian just as well as they know Armenian.

I was just wondering how close Armenian is to Persian, are they related? I know that they're both Indo-European languages, but so is English, and I don't see too many similarities between Persian and English (though there are some cognates, e.g. Doghtar--> Daughter/Girl). So basically, questions are: How close is Armenian to Persian? Are they really related, or are they pretty distant? Would knowing Persian give me an advantage to learning Armenian, or would cognates be the only thing in common. Also, what is the word order? In Persian it is Subject-Object-Verb (For example: (English: I am a/the cow)-->(Persian: Man gov am)-->(English, but Persian word order: I cow am)).

[jgk3]

Re: Persian language

Check out the thread: Armenian cognates in other languages. It's in this section.

In short, Persian and Armenian, together with Greek, were amongst the last to split from the Indo-European homeland, they are cited in many historical linguistics books to have made common phonological innovations together, independently of the other Indo-European languages who's ancestors split off much earlier.

Still, Armenian is a rather eccentric Indo-European language and you will of course stumble on some odd features here and there. Also, there is an important dialectical difference to be aware of in Armenian. There are Western and Eastern dialects, your parents most certainly speak the Eastern one. It has a different syntactic (ordering of words and particles) pattern in conjugation for several tenses and moods, and has some different usages for terms, but on the whole they are very related and with some practice, they are mutually interpretable.

I don't speak Farsi though so I can't tell you for sure how easy or difficult it is to learn Armenian. There are a great many loanwords however from Persian into Armenian, especially in the vocabulary for matters of the state, perhaps you will have an easy time with those.

[crusader1492]

Re: Persian language

My parents are fluent in Armenian--and they talk to each other in Armenian occasionally--but they grew up in Iran, so they speak primarily Persian. As a result, I learned to speak Persian; I barely know a little bit of Armenian, but not really. I'd say that I know Persian just as well as they know Armenian.

I was just wondering how close Armenian is to Persian, are they related? I know that they're both Indo-European languages, but so is English, and I don't see too many similarities between Persian and English (though there are some cognates, e.g. Doghtar--> Daughter/Girl). So basically, questions are: How close is Armenian to Persian? Are they really related, or are they pretty distant? Would knowing Persian give me an advantage to learning Armenian, or would cognates be the only thing in common. Also, what is the word order? In Persian it is Subject-Object-Verb (For example: (English: I am a/the cow)-->(Persian: Man gov am)-->(English, but Persian word order: I cow am)).

That's odd. Usually Armenian kids (in Iran) learn Armenian as their first language and when they are old enough to go to school, they start leaning Farsi.

I'm surprised your parents are more comfortable speaking Farsi than Armenian.

[Pazooki]

Re: Persian language

In English if you would say "I am good"

and

then say it in Armenian : "Yes Lav em"

In English it would be : "I good am"

[yerazhishda]

Re: Persian language

In English if you would say "I am good"

and

then say it in Armenian : "Yes Lav em"

In English it would be : "I good am"

Jisht es aper. Armenian is an SOV (Subject Object Verb) language.

[Parskahye]

Re: Persian language

That's odd. Usually Armenian kids (in Iran) learn Armenian as their first language and when they are old enough to go to school, they start leaning Farsi.

I'm surprised your parents are more comfortable speaking Farsi than Armenian.

Yeah, they're more comfortable speaking Farsi.

[Anush]

Re: Persian language

Interesting.

My parents and grandparents on both sides were born and raised in Iran. All of them speak fluent Armenian. All of my family speak Armenian in the home and out.

They speak fluent Farsi but never went out of thier way to teach me. The only reason that I learned at all was probably from Persian movies, music and to try to figure out what my parents were talking about if they did not want me to understand.

But I do know quit a few Iranahye that are my age or younger that seem to have the habit of continually speaking Farsi out of the home which I find curious. I like my parents, only do that if I do not want someone around me to understand what I am saying.

[Mos]

Re: Persian language

In English if you would say "I am good"

and

then say it in Armenian : "Yes Lav em"

In English it would be : "I good am"

People usually say "lav em" in colloquial.

Persian, Turkish are more similar to western Armenian than eastern. And in Iran Armenians speak with a certain dialect not like eastern Armenian in Armenia. However, if you want to learn Armenian learn eastern dialect because it is much more useful than knowing western. You're not always warmly received in Armenia if you go and start speaking western dialect with everybody. (դրանց ախպար են ասում) Also knowing a little Russian will help you have an authentic eastern dialect.

Good Luck.

[yerazhishda]

Re: Persian language

You're not always warmly received in Armenia if you go and start speaking western dialect with everybody.

Moreover, they're going to be out of luck if they want to speak with me then; the only Eastern I know is "aper" and "du vonts es".

[Federate]

Re: Persian language

Persian, Turkish are more similar to western Armenian than eastern

For the 10th time, there is absolutely no link between Western Armenian and Turkish. NOTHING! Please find me a single word that makes Western Armenian "similar" to Turkish. Eastern Armenian is similar to Russian... does that make sense? I doubt it.

However, if you want to learn Armenian learn eastern dialect because it is much more useful than knowing western.

The dialects in their pure form are mutually intelligible. It's when Eastern Armenians start using expressions like "ba, xi, maladec etc." or Western Armenians start using expressions like "yallah, ishteh, beh etc" that things get a little hard. All of the above expressions are totally unnecessary to use.

You're not always warmly received in Armenia if you go and start speaking western dialect with everybody. (դրանց ախպար են ասում)

And it is this kind of sick mentality that drives away Diasporans from Armenia like it did after the 40s nerkaght. Akhpar, makhpar, shmakhpar blablabla. Mos, when you see stuff like that you should stand up for the Diasporan and say that he is Armenian and not an "akhpar". No one likes to talk about those shameful days and only now Hranush Hakobian the minister of Diaspora is acknowledging this long-ignored mistake and trying to correct it.

Also knowing a little Russian will help you have an authentic eastern dialect.

Good luck.

Know Russian but don't mix it with Armenian when you speak. You have no reason to especially if you are learning the language right now instead of at birth.