Dari is the first language of an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 persons living in and around the cities of Yazd and Kerman in central Iran. While Dari is spoken in a geographical area that is predominately Muslim, it is the proprietary language of the area’s Zoroastrians, followers of the pre-Islamic religion of Iran. Genetically, Dari is a member of the Northwestern Iranian language subfamily, which includes several other closely related languages, e.g. Kurdish, Gilaki, Balochi. The Northwestern Iranian languages themselves comprise a br ...

Including:

• Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's name
• Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's dialects
• Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's endangered status
• Dari Zoroastrian - Select bibliography

Read more here: » Dari Zoroastrian: Encyclopedia - Dari Zoroastrian

The Dari language has traditionally been divided into two main dialects: the variety spoken in Yazd and the one spoken in Kerman. This division of the language, based on the division of its speakers into their two main cities of residence, conceals the complexity of the actual dialectical situation. The Yazd dialect is itself comprised of some thirty varieties, each distinct and unique to one of the Zoroastrian neighborhoods in and around Yazd. The variation amongst the Yazd dialects is so great that, were they not for their geographic proxi ...

See also:

Dari Zoroastrian, Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's name, Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's dialects, Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's endangered status, Dari Zoroastrian - Select bibliography

Read more here: » Dari Zoroastrian: Encyclopedia II - Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's dialects

The vitality of the Dari language is being affected, or has been affected in the past, by two main types of pressure: economic and political. The pressures affecting the vitality of Dari today are largely economic. In order to obtain an economic advantage, speakers are giving up their traditional language for the dominant language of Iran, Persian. Parents intentionally do not transmit Dari to their children in order that they may have what is felt to be an advantage in school and in life. The language loss can also occur more indirec ...

See also:

Dari Zoroastrian, Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's name, Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's dialects, Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's endangered status, Dari Zoroastrian - Select bibliography

Read more here: » Dari Zoroastrian: Encyclopedia II - Dari Zoroastrian - Dari's endangered status