[OFF TOPIC] Language Thread

[Olympian1010 8,305]

Just now, MHSN said:

 

I can say there are only 2 countries in the world we understand their languages , Afghanistan and Tajikistan. but well that's still Persian of course with some differences .

 

but we also have many different languages in Iran, but I think in past 80 years (or something like that) the government forced everybody to learn Persian at school as the official language. but I think for half of the population (or maybe 30%) Persian is not their mother language. if someone travels to the west of the country, no chance you hear people speak Persian in the streets, it's either Kurdish, Azeri or Arabic. (depends on the region) we also have Turkmeni , Balochi and few more derivation of Persian in North and East of the country but it's only Persian in middle of the country (Tehran and nearby provinces)

So Pashtun is close to Persian then?

[Olympian1010 8,305]

I would love to hear some good regional/national/linguistic proverbs or sayings if people have any they wish to share.

[MHSN 3,813]

Just now, Olympian1010 said:

So Pashtun is close to Persian then?

 

Afghanistan has 2 official languages Pashto and Farsi-Dari (the dominant one) . Farsi-Dari (Dari Persian) is 90% like our Persian.

 

Pashto isn't really similar. listening to Pashto is like listening to Kurdish, I understand few words but not the sentence.

[Olympian1010 8,305]

Just now, MHSN said:

 

Afghanistan has 2 official languages Pashto and Farsi-Dari (the dominant one) . Farsi-Dari (Dari Persian) is 90% like our Persian.

 

Pashto isn't really similar. listening to Pashto is like listening to Kurdish, I understand few words but not the sentence.

The code of ethics that exists in Pashtun culture is one of my favorite things to study. It might actually be my thesis paper for my communications major. I wouldn’t just be Pashtun, it would be other traditional ethic codes too of course.

 

I totally forgot about Dari . It’s spoken more in the cities right? And then the rural and mountain areas speak Pashto?

[Griff88 2,021]

17 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

But don’t people get insulted when we say Persian? What should I say?

 

I’ll have to do some research on Kurdish.

 

Just don't say "Do you speak Iranian?".

 

I remembered a video where a man meets an Iranian immigrant and he hesitated to ask that. Fortunately the Iranian put him out of misery and just cut the question and replied "Yes of course I still speak Persian"

[Griff88 2,021]

1 hour ago, thepharoah said:

For Arabic I think being the language of Quran holly book for Muslims' made much non Arab speakers know basics of Arabic language,  so people from Iran,  Pakistan, many  African countries especially chad has good base in Arabic language,  also Turkish people,  maybe Indonesians and Malaysians especially those who study here in AL Azhar university, Israel so I think Arabic is somehow spread language , ofc like every other language it varies from country to another,  Egyptians don't speak like Maghreb countries or people in Sham areas ( Palestine, Syria and Lebanon) and gulf countries, etc each ethnic groups has different way of expressing language but at the end of the day we understand each other 

 

We have quite a lot Arabic vocabularies which was spread from Muslim merchants about 700 years ago. Even some country names in Indonesian used Arabic derived ones because those merchants are the ones which made people at that time aware of those countries like Mesir, Aljazair, Yunani, etc.

 

With the exception of Morocco, somehow we used the Western derived "Maroko". In Malaysia they still use Maghribi (and the number of Arabic vocabularies in Malay is even more prevalent than in Indonesian).

[MHSN 3,813]

Just now, Olympian1010 said:

The code of ethics that exists in Pashtun culture is one of my favorite things to study. It might actually be my thesis paper for my communications major. I wouldn’t just be Pashtun, it would be other traditional ethic codes too of course.

 

I totally forgot about Dari . It’s spoken more in the cities right? And then the rural and mountain areas speak Pashto?

 

I had never been to Afghanistan, so I don't know the details but based on my understanding yes people in rural areas more speak Pashto

 

and yes in general they speak Dari more. but I assume most of them can speak both. I saw their president sometimes switch between languages in one speech 

[TomJa 64]

7 godzin temu, Olympian1010 napisał:

It’d be cool to read the book that my favorite play is based off in its native language.

 

(Les Mis for those who couldn’t guess. Les Mis is probably one of the 5 great literary works of all time, definitely in the top 3 ones)

Nice, because as I wrote the articles I had direct contact with what is being said in the French press. In addition, I had the opportunity to talk to Olivier Kapo and several cyclists before the Tour de Pologne stages.

 

I do not like musicals, but not knowing Les Misérables is a shame.

[Olympian1010 8,305]

Just now, MHSN said:

 

I had never been to Afghanistan, so I don't know the details but based on my understanding yes people in rural areas more speak Pashto

 

and yes in general they speak Dari more. but I assume most of them can speak both. I saw their president sometimes switch between languages in one speech 

Oh cool interesting. I’ve seen a few leaders do it. It’s a great political move (as long as your not the IOC/OCA President faking it at an opening ceremony)

[Olympian1010 8,305]

Just now, TomJa said:

Nice, because as I wrote the articles I had direct contact with what is being said in the French press. In addition, I had the opportunity to talk to Olivier Kapo and several cyclists before the Tour de Pologne stages.

 

I do not like musicals, but not knowing Les Misérables is a shame.

Yeah Les Misérables is very much some of the groundwork for my political beliefs.