Middle Persian
Ancient Iranian tongue
Middle Persian is the form of the Persian language used from roughly the 3rd century BCE to the 9th century CE, bridging Old Persian and modern Farsi.
It was the official language of the Sasanian Empire and the medium for Zoroastrian religious texts.
Also called Pahlavi, particularly when referring to its distinctive script.
- dualismPhilosophy of opposed pairs
- fire templeZoroastrian house of worship
- magiPersian priest-sorcerers
Seeing only absolutes
- ideogramSymbol representing concept directly
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- syntaxRules for arranging words
Original text before publication
- colophonBook's production statement
- scribalOf professional copyists
- palimpsestReused writing surface, traces remain
- codexAncient bound manuscript
transmission · gloss · commentary · recension · ambiguity · decipherment · papyrus · parchment
Impressively grand in scope
- romanceLove and its excitement
- proseUnversified language
- didacticIntended to instruct
- translationConverting between languages
Bundahishn
- dualismPhilosophy of opposed pairs
- fire templeZoroastrian house of worship
- magiPersian priest-sorcerers
Manichaean
Seeing only absolutes
- ideogramSymbol representing concept directly
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
syntax · loanwords · philology · diachronic
manuscript
Original text before publication
- colophonBook's production statement
- scribalOf professional copyists
- palimpsestReused writing surface, traces remain
codex · transmission · gloss · commentary · recension · ambiguity · decipherment · papyrus · parchment · inscription
epic
Impressively grand in scope
Parthian
Of ancient Iranian empire
- pre-IslamicBefore Muslim civilization