Persic

Under this term are comprehended all the various forms of the Persian language, with the exception of the dialect now spoken. The Persic is known to us in three stages:— (1) The language of the Achæmenian dynasty, recovered from the cuneiform inscriptions of Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, and other kings. See Spiegel: “Die Alt per sis chen Keilinschriften,” Leipzig, 1862. (2) The Pehlevi or Huzvaresch , the language of the Sa an i an period ( A.D. 226-650). Iranic , with considerable Semitic infusion; known from coins, inscriptions, and literary productions. (3) Parsi or Pazend ; the language as it reappears subsequently to the Arab conquest; purified to a great extent of the Semitic ingredients, and once more thoroughly Iranic . Known from translations of the Avesta, . The Persic , in its earliest form, is closely allied to Old Bactrian or Zend . Latterly it branched out into several dialects, as the Deri , the Herevi , the Parsi , or Pazend , the Segzi or dialect of Seistan, the Sogdi of Sogdiana or Bokharia, and the Zavuli of Zabulistan.     G. R.