Farsi vs Persian
Persian has been used in the English language for thousands of years to refer not only to a language, but also to Persian culture and a country that was once a great empire, controlling various modern-day nations. The country now known as Iran was part of this vast empire called Persia. This article aims to clarify the confusion between Persian and Farsi, the two terms used to describe the language spoken in Iran. Let’s find out if there is any difference between Farsi and Persian.
Key Takeaways
- Farsi is increasingly used by some media to refer to the Persian language, though in many parts of the world, particularly Iran, Farsi is not considered a synonym for Persian.
- Persian is an ancient language spoken not only in Iran but also in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The version spoken in Afghanistan is called Dari, while the one spoken in Tajikistan is called Tajik.
- Farsi is the indigenous name of the Persian language, just as Germans call their language Deutsch and Spanish people call their language Español.
Farsi is a term that is now being used more frequently by some media outlets to refer to the Persian language. However, in many parts of the world, especially in Iran, Farsi is not synonymous with Persian. Persian is an ancient language spoken not just in Iran but also in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The version of the language spoken in Afghanistan is called Dari, while the one spoken in Tajikistan is called Tajik. People in Iran refer to their language as Farsi, and this version has come to dominate all other versions of the Persian language. This is why some media outlets attempt to refer to Persian as Farsi. This confusion is exacerbated by Persian people living in Western countries who use both Farsi and Persian to refer to the language they speak.
To clarify the confusion, Farsi is the indigenous name of the language known as Persian, just as Germans call their language Deutsch and Spanish people call their language Español. To the Western world, the language of Persia (now Iran) has always been Persian. After the revolution in Iran in 1979, many Persians fled their country to settle in Western countries, and these individuals continued to call their language Farsi. People in the West associate the word Persian with not just the language but also Persian culture, food, carpets, poetry, and even clothing. This is why the use of Farsi for the Persian language in Western countries is not appreciated by the people of Iran.
In summary, Farsi is the most common dialect of the Persian language and is spoken by most people of Persian origin. The other two dialects are called Tajik and Dari, spoken by people in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, respectively. Farsi is also known as Western Persian, while Dari is Eastern Persian, and Tajik is Tajik Persian. People in Iran and many other parts of the world do not appreciate their language being described as Farsi by Western media, as it disconnects the great Persian culture and art from the minds of readers and listeners.
