Reflections on Persian Grammar: Developments in Persian Linguistic Scholarship I
This book is the first authoritative survey of the historical developments of Persian grammar, from the first attested work some 200 years ago to the present day. It examines the development of Persian linguistic thought in five different periods, and analyses the underlying assumptions of the grammars belonging to each period in light of contemporary ideas on the nature of grammar and new frameworks for grammatical analysis. This historical survey shows the profound influence of Arabic and Western linguistic thinking on the development of Persian grammar, as well as a dramatic shift of perspective from a traditional grammatical analysis to new and divergent procedures adopted by more recent schools of linguistics. The end result of this transition has culminated in less reliance on foreign influence and the emergence of more self-motivated, independent researchers in the uncharted territory of Persian grammar and its sub-components. The two comprehensive Persian and English glossaries at the end of the book will enable readers to better understand the grammatical concepts covered here.
Dr. A. Soheili obtained his BA degree in Teaching English as Foreign Language from the Teachers Training College in Tehran, before receiving his MA in the same field from the University of Beirut. As an instructor of English at the Teachers Training College in Tehran, he was awarded a scholarship to study Theoretical Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urban, USA, where he received his PhD degree. He is currently a freelance researcher in the field of Persian linguistics, and has authored a number of books and articles in this field.
"The book is worthy in its attempt to familiarize non-Persians with the tradition of Persian grammar.... It also takes a critical standpoint towards the different works included in the book, while incorporating new grammatical theories into his discussion. [...] I recommend this book to those who wish to get a general overview of the works that have been of significance in the course of the development of Persian grammar."
Mozhgan Hooshmand University of Yasouj Persian Literary Studies Journal, 6:9 (2017)
“The book is an invaluable source for both novice and advanced students and researchers of Persian linguistics and literature. The former will find it an introduction to the problematicity in various sections and periods of Persian grammar description and an illustration of an elaborate practical application of modern grammar theories, while the latter may also benefit from the professionally thorough grammatical review in selecting points in Persian grammar for further investigation. The book also provides a useful bibliography of around ninety works on Persian grammar and grammatical descriptions for research and teaching. [...] The key strength of the book is that it demonstrates the extraordinary work on the different components of Persian grammar, i.e. phonology, morphology and syntax, in the language descriptions that Persian grammarians were occupied with before the modern theories emerged.”
Somaje Abdollahian Barough
Department of English, Stockholm University
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