AN ANALYSIS OF LOANWORDS IN MODERN JOURNALISTIC PERSIAN
Abstract
This article contains a detailed analysis of all the loanwords in a single Persian-language news article, and establishes a repeatable methodology for this process of loanword analysis that may aid linguists in obtaining a better understanding of the role of loanwords in modern Persian as used in traditional media. Attention was paid in particular to how loanwords of different origins (Arabic vs. European) were utilized by the author. The article concludes that Arabic loanwords are typically utilized in a way that reflects the legacy of Arabic as the former language of science and politics throughout the Middle-East, while European loanwords are utilized in a way that reflects the prevalence of Western culture in the modern world. Furthermore, the article also notes the remarkably pronounced presence of calques of academic / political English terms in the article, something which further showcases the prevalence of Western culture in today’s world.
Keywords
loanwords, linguistics, journalistic Persian, European loanwords, Arabic loanwords.How to Cite
References
Cheung, J. (2016). On the (Middle) Iranian borrowings in Qur’ānic (and pre-Islamic) Arabic. https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01445860
Dekhoda Dictionary (1931-). Dekhoda Dictionary. Tehran University Press. https://dehkhoda.ut.ac.ir/en/dictionary
Ḥayyīm, S. (1934). New Persian-English dictionary. Librairie-imprimerie Béroukhim. https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/hayyim/
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Calque. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calque
Sajjadpour, M. K. (2025). Barzakh-e Esterâtežik-e Orupâyi: Amniyat-e Orupâ va Revâbet-e Beina-l-melali-ye Mo'âser. Ettelâ’ât. https://www.ettelaat.com/news/85224/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B2%D8%AE-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%DA%98%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%BE%D8%A7-%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B7-%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%84%D9%84%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%B1
Wehr, H. (1979). A Dictionary of modern written Arabic. Spoken Language Services Inc.
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sem Rafael de Kort, N.N. Nuriddinov

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.