Exploring Arabian and Persian Cultures 

Oct 31, 2022
Arabian and Persian Cultures Waist-up view of smiling men and women in traditional and western attire sitting face to face at window table and conversing over midday meal.

The people of Arab origin are mostly located in north Africa and western Asia. Arabs people are quite different compared to others on the basis of their genealogy, culture, and language. However, people from Iranian belts and backgrounds are Persian. They are most of the people are of Iranian origin. They speak Iranian and Farsi languages and belong to Indo-European families. Arabian and Persian cultures are two extra vacant cultures of the world.

Arab People 

Arab word has evolved over the years and their meanings have overlapped with the meanings. They are mainly based in the North African region and the middle east UAE and Saudi Arabia. The Arabic language is associated with the Arab people which is the world’s most spoken language and is one of the ancient languages of the world, which is why Arabic translation services are arranged for making most of the Arab market.

Arab word also refers to the Bedouin and also Arab nomads. Moreover, Arabs are also divided and segregated according to the country they are residing and the religion they subscribe to the language they use, and also the sector which they follow religiously. Arabs are the world’s largest and most diverse ethnic group in the world.

Arabic Language

The Arabic language is a Semitic language. It is the lingua franca of the Arab world and also a holy language of Islam. Arabic has a lot of varieties. The international organization for standards ISO has assigned codes to around 32 varieties of this language including the modern variant which is modern standard Arabic. It is also referred to as Literary Arabic. It often gets tough for the translation agencies to keep the track of the varieties while working on professional Arabic translation services. This is why they always check for the requirements of the client.

Arabic in its modern form is the official language of 26 states. It is the third most language that belongs to this many states after English and French. Arabic’s ancient form is Classical Arabic in which Quran and ahadith are written. Arabic has 350 million speakers with all its varieties.

Arabic Culture

Arab culture holds great significance. Arabs greatly value their family and family system. Hygiene is very important for them. As a guest in an Arab household, it is quite rude to say no to food or drink. Date and a particular tea named ‘Qahwa” are the popular offerings of Arabs.

Arabian civilization has contributed greatly to the ethnogenesis and formed modern Arab culture. Language, literature art, architecture, music, and spirituality are all important parts of the Arab cultural heritage. Moreover, Arabs are divided into different regions depending on their contributions to cultures, dialects, and traditions

  • The Levant: Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan
  • Egypt and Sudan
  • Mesopotamia (Iraq)
  • Arabian Peninsula
  • The Maghreb

Persian People 

Persian people speak the Farsi language. They are also known as the Iranian people. The Iranian language they speak belongs to the ethnic Indo-European group and exclusively to the ancient group of Indo-Iranian people.

The word Persian or Farsi comes from Persia. It is located in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. Persia or Faras is the region that is the origin of the Persian empire and the from where it got started expanding.

The current distribution and geography of Persia are across Iranian Plateau to the Indus River of Pakistan in the east to Turkey in the west. To cater to Persian people Farsi translation services are imminent.

Farsi language

Farsi language also known as Persian is a western Iranian language and belongs to the Iranian branch of Indo Iranian subdivision of Indo-European languages. It has more than 110 million speakers in total and has come a long way.

Persian has three intelligible varieties

  1. Iranian Persian
  2. Dari Persian
  3. Tajiki Persian

Modern Persian is a continuation of Middle Persian and it is an official language of the Sasanian Empire. Farsi language has always enjoyed the status of a prestigious language by a number of empires in Western Asia and South Asia.

Farsi Culture

Persian culture is considered one of the most influential cultures in the world. It has a great effect on many other cultures too. Iran is the center of the Persian culture and due to its geopolitical position has a heavy influence on the people and culture of the people and dynasties who were in southern Europe and eastern Europe. Iranian or Persian culture contributed greatly to the world’s cultures through its rich culture of art, architecture, poetry science, and technology with medicine, philosophy, and engineering. Translators are also expected to consider the cultural aspects while making contributions to professional Farsi translation solutions. 

Final words

Farsi and Arabic languages have come a long way. Both of these languages belong to people of the same religion i.e Islam. These are two ancient languages and also have rich cultural backgrounds which students often find interesting enough to conduct their research too.