Old Persian definition of Old Persian in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Old Persian

one of the ancient languages of the Iranian group. Old Persian is known from cuneiform inscriptions dating from the time of the Achaemenid dynasty (558-330 B.C.). The largest collection of inscriptions was preserved from the period when Darius I (522-486 B.C.) and Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.) ruled. Old Persian was spoken in southwestern Iran.

Phonetically, Old Persian is characterized by oppositions based on vowel length. The grammatical structure ot Old Persian, which possessed a well-developed system of inflectional forms, is similar to that of Avestan and Sanskrit. Distinctions were made between masculine, feminine, and neuter genders; singular, dual, and plural number; and nominative, accusative, genitivedative, locative, ablative, instrumental, and vocative cases. The verb system consisted of active and middle voices; indicative, imperative, optative, and subjunctive moods; present, imperfect, aorist, and perfect tenses.

REFERENCES

Oranskii, I. M.Vvedenie v iranskuiu filologiiu. Moscow, 1960.
Oranskii, I. M.Iranskie iazyki. Moscow, 1963.
Bartholomae, C.Altiranisches Wörterbuch, 2nd ed. Berlin, 1961.
Brandenstein, W., and M. Mayrhofer.Handbuch des Altpersischen. Wiesbaden, 1964.
Kent, R.Old Persian: Grammar, Texts, Lexicon, 2nd ed. New Haven, 1953.
Meillet, A.Grammaire du vieux perse, 2nd ed. Paris, 1931.

V. S. RASTORGUEVA

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No references found	She danced, she turned, she whirled rapidly about on an old Persian rug, spread negligently under her feet; and each time that her radiant face passed before you, as she whirled, her great black eyes darted a flash of lightning at you. Notre-Dame de Paris by Hugo, Victor View in context You may remember the old Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger cub, and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from a woman. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan View in context , 1840; "Le Culte du Feu," a folio volume of ponderous research into the religion and ritual of the old Persian Ghebers, published in 1841; "La Soiree du Chateau en Espagne," 1 tom. Mosses From An Old Manse and other stories by Hawthorne, Nathaniel View in context	Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area old lady Old Lady of Threadneedle Street old lake Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park Old Lyme old maid Old Man of the Mountain Old Man Winter old man wrapped in cloak old master old media Old Mill State Park Old Mission State Park old moon Old Mother Hubbard old mountain Old Mulkey Meetinghouse State Historic Site Old Nick Old Norse language Old Norse literature Old Northwest Old Orchard Beach Old Pecos Bull and Corn Dance Old Permian Old Persian Old Point Comfort Old Pretender Old Prussian Old Red Sandstone Old Russian Tales Old Sacramento State Historic Park Old Sarum Old Saybrook Torchlight Parade and Muster Old Scratch Old Silvester Old Sitka State Historic Site old snow Old South Arabic Old Spanish Days Old Spanish National Historic Trail Old Stone Age Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park Old Style Old Style dates old talk Old Testament Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Old Turkic Old Uighur Old Vic	Old Orchard Urban Venture Old Order Old Order Old Order Amish Old Order Amish Old Order Amish Old Order German Baptist Brethren Old Order River Brethren Old Orlu Divisional Union Old Oundelian Football Club Old Park Lane Capital PLC Old Parliament House Old Parmiterians Football Club Old Parochial Register Old Paths Bible Baptist Church Old Patient Old Patient In Old Pauline Association Football Club Old Pauline Football Club Old Pecos Bull and Corn Dance Old people Old people Old people Old people Old People Having Fun Old People Home Old People Rock Old People's Home Old People's Riding Club Old Permian Old Persian Old Persian language Old Persian language old person Old Persons Disease Old Philadephia Customs House Old Philadephia Customs House National Historic Site Old Photographs of African Americans Old Phrygian Old Pitchfork Mel Old Plank Road Old Plank Road Trail old poacher makes the best gamekeeper Old Point Comfort Old Point Comfort Marina Old Point National Bank Old Police Headquarters Old Portuguese Old Portuguese Old post office pavilion Old Post Office Tower Old Post Office Tower Old Post Road Orchestra Old Presbyterian Meeting House Old Pretender Old Pretender Old Private Sector Bank Old Protestant Episcopal Church Old Provencal Old Provencal

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She danced, she turned, she whirled rapidly about on an old Persian rug, spread negligently under her feet; and each time that her radiant face passed before you, as she whirled, her great black eyes darted a flash of lightning at you.

Notre-Dame de Paris by Hugo, Victor View in context

You may remember the old Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger cub, and danger also for whoso snatches a delusion from a woman.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan View in context

, 1840; "Le Culte du Feu," a folio volume of ponderous research into the religion and ritual of the old Persian Ghebers, published in 1841; "La Soiree du Chateau en Espagne," 1 tom.

Mosses From An Old Manse and other stories by Hawthorne, Nathaniel View in context

Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area

old lady

Old Lady of Threadneedle Street

old lake

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park

Old Lyme

old maid

Old Man of the Mountain

Old Man Winter

old man wrapped in cloak

old master