Tati (Iran)
Encyclopedia
Tati is a group of northwestern Iranian dialects which are closely related to the Talysh language
.
Some sources use the term old Azari/Azeri to refer to the Tati language which was spoken in the region before the spread of Turkic languages (see Ancient Azari language
), and is now only spoken by different rural communities in Iranian Azerbaijan (such as villages in Harzanabad area, villages around Khalkhal
and Ardabil
), and also in Zanjan
and Qazvin
provinces.
In the field of phonetics Tati is similar to the rest of the north-western Iranian languages: it is distinguished by the persistence of Iranian *z, *s, *y-, * v- against the south-western d, h, j-, b-; development /ʒ/ < * j, */t͡ʃ/ against the south-west z, and the preservation of intervocalic and postvocalic *r and even, for a number of dialects, development rhotacism
.
In the field of morphology, Tati is less analytical in structure than the south-western Iranian languages. Having lost the ancient foundations of classes and verb, tati preserved case (two case: direct, or subjective, and oblique). It is a gender-neutral language except in some name and verb formations.
Tati is an ergative language, i.e. "with transitive verbs the subject/agent of the verb is expressed by the direct case in the present tenses, but by the oblique in the past tenses, whereas the direct object/patient in the present tenses is expressed by the oblique, but by the direct in the past".
Talysh language
The Talyshi language is a Northwestern Iranian language spoken in the northern regions of the Iranian provinces of Gilan and Ardabil and the southern regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Historically, the language and its people can be traced through the middle Iranian period back to the ancient...
.
Some sources use the term old Azari/Azeri to refer to the Tati language which was spoken in the region before the spread of Turkic languages (see Ancient Azari language
Ancient Azari language
Azari is the name used for the Iranian language composed of groups of dialects which were spoken in Azerbaijan at one time. Some linguists have also designated the southern Tati dialects of Azerbaijan like those spoken by the Tats around Khalkhal, Harzand and Keringan as a remnant of Azari...
), and is now only spoken by different rural communities in Iranian Azerbaijan (such as villages in Harzanabad area, villages around Khalkhal
Khalkhal
Khalkhal or Khalkhāl may refer to:*Xalxal, Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan*Xalxal, Oghuz, Azerbaijan*Khalkhal County, a subdivision of Ardabil Province, Iran*Herowabad, a city in Ardabil Province, Iran...
and Ardabil
Ardabil
Ardabil is a historical city in north-western Iran. The name Ardabil probably comes from the Zoroastrian name of "Artavil" which means a holy place. Ardabil is the center of Ardabil Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 412,669, in 102,818 families...
), and also in Zanjan
Zanjan Province
Zanjan Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Located in the North West of Iran, its capital is Zanjan city. Zanjan province with an area of 36,400 km² has a mostly rural, population of 964,601 . The province lies 330 km northwest of Tehran, connected to it via a freeway.Zanjan...
and Qazvin
Qazvin Province
The Qazvin Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the north-west of the country, and its center is the city of Qazvin. The province was created in 1993 out of part of Tehran Province and includes 20 cities: Qazvin, Takestan, Abyek, Buin-Zahra, Eqhbalieh, Mohammadieh, Alvand,...
provinces.
In the field of phonetics Tati is similar to the rest of the north-western Iranian languages: it is distinguished by the persistence of Iranian *z, *s, *y-, * v- against the south-western d, h, j-, b-; development /ʒ/ < * j, */t͡ʃ/ against the south-west z, and the preservation of intervocalic and postvocalic *r and even, for a number of dialects, development rhotacism
Rhotacism
Rhotacism refers to several phenomena related to the usage of the consonant r :*the excessive or idiosyncratic use of the r;...
.
In the field of morphology, Tati is less analytical in structure than the south-western Iranian languages. Having lost the ancient foundations of classes and verb, tati preserved case (two case: direct, or subjective, and oblique). It is a gender-neutral language except in some name and verb formations.
Tati is an ergative language, i.e. "with transitive verbs the subject/agent of the verb is expressed by the direct case in the present tenses, but by the oblique in the past tenses, whereas the direct object/patient in the present tenses is expressed by the oblique, but by the direct in the past".
Dialects
- Chāli, Tākestāni, Eshtehardi, Khiāraji, Ebrāhim-ābādi, Sagz-ābādi, Dānesfāni, Esfarvarini, Khoznini
- Kho'ini, Balbavini, Sefid-kamari, Halabi, Sa'd-ābādi
- Khalkhāli, Tāromi
- HarzandiHarzandi languageHarzandi is a modern Northwestern Iranian language spoken in the north of the Iranian province of East Azarbaijan, around the village of Harzand. It is closely related to the Talishi and Karingani dialects....
, Dizmāri - Kuhpaya'i, Rudbari, Alamuti
- KilitiKilit languageThe Kilit language belongs to the northern Tatic family of Northwestern Iranian branch, once spoken in the villages around Kilit, located 12 kilometers southwest from the city of Ordubad in a district with the same name of Nakhjavan in Azerbaijan . It is most probably extinct or less likely...
- Vafsi VafsVafsVafs is a village in Markazi Province of Iran. Vafs is located in northwest of Arak city and the north of [Komijan] city....