Pre-Islamic Arabs borrowed words from Persian,
Aramaic, Greek, Latin, and all kinds of languages. Since that Arabic is a
Semitic language based on tri-consonantal roots and standard
structures of words, handling foreign words would not be easy at all if
they were too long ones with too many consonants. Arabs dealt with this
issue with what would be called "Arabization"
تَعْرِيْبٌ
of the borrowed words.
Arabization meant
carving the foreign word and shaping it so that it end up with three, four,
or five consonants plugged into a standard structure of Arabic nouns. This
was possible most of the time, sometimes requiring drastic measures to
achieve the goal. Of course, Arabization also meant changing letters that
do not exist in Arabic (like g, p, and v) into close Arabic letters.
Sometimes the original letters were changed for no obvious reasons.
Examples of Arabization:
A traditional Arab currency is the dirham,
which is still a currency unit in several Arab countries today. A dirham
was a silver coin in old times. The name of the dirham comes from the
Greek drachmē
or drachma. It was Arabized to follow the
standard Arabic noun structure
fi"lalفِعْلَلٌ
.
drachmē →
dirhamدِرْهَمٌ
Another interesting example is the word
siraatصِرَاْطٌ
meaning "a way" or "a path."
This word occurs in the Koran in the first and most important chapter,
which is calledthe
faatiha(t)
الْفَاْتِحَةُ = "the preamble,"
and which is recited by Muslims as often as Our Father is recited by
Christians.
This word comes
from the Latin strata = "paved road."The
Latin word was rendered into the standard noun structure
fi"aalفِعَاْلٌ
. This is the same structure as that of the word
kitaab
كِتَاْبٌ
= "a book" or "a dispatch."
strata
→ siraatصِرَاْطٌ
Persian & Arabic
Although Arabic is a Semitic language and the
Persian language, called Farsi, is an Indo-European language, these two
languages have always had a unique relationship of mutual influence.
Persian today uses Arabic script for writing, and it is estimated that
~40% of the language's vocabulary is borrowed from Arabic. This was mainly
due to the Arab expansion after Islam and the incorporation of Iran into
the Islamic caliphate.
On the other hand, Arabs and Muslims in
general have been also using an incredible amount of Persian loanwords in
their languages. Persian has been certainly the number one source of
foreign loanwords in Arabic. It is probably impossible to count all the
Persian, and Persian-derived, words that have been used in both the formal
and vernacular Arabic throughout the ages. There are books that have tried
to count such words, and they have not turned out thin ones.
An example of how much Arabs used Persian
vocabulary may be seen in the following verses from a poem by a famous
Arab poet who lived in the 6th-7th centuries CE and who was called
أَعْشَىْ
قَيْسٍ = "the sightless of Qays
(a tribe)."
The red words are of Persian etymology.
لَناْ
جُلَّسانٌعِنْدَهَاْ
وَبَنَفْسَجٌ
وَسِيْسَنْبَرٌ
وَالْمَرْزَجُوْشُ
مُنَمْنَمًا
وَآسٌ
وَخِيْرِيٌّ
وَمَرْوٌ
وَسَوْسَنٌ
إِذَاْ كَاْنَ
هِنْزَمْنٌ
وَرُحْتُ مُخَشَّمًا
وَشَاْهَسْفَرَمٌ
وَالْيَاْسَمِيْنُ
وَنَرْجِسٌ
يُصَبِّحُنَاْ فِيْ كُلِّ دَجْنٍ تَغَـيَّـمًا
Translation: (this
is a difficult classical text and I myself had a hard time translating it)
For us a garden at her place, decked with
violets, pennyroyals, and thyme...
Myrtles, wallflowers, maeruae, and lilies if
there was a festival and I went inebriated by the smell...
Basils, Jasmines, and narcissi at the morning
of every cloudy day...
Vocabulary Borrowed
From Persian in Formal Arabic
Here is a list of about 250 words in formal
Arabic that are borrowed from Persian. After being Arabized, new words are
often derived from the borrowed word, so many of the words mentioned here
have other related words (i.e. words sharing the same Arabized roots).
The etymologies of many words are disputable.
I put question marks beside words that I think may not be really borrowed
from Persian. Corrections, ideas, and suggestions of more words are
welcomed on: Hani_Deek@hotmail.com
A
splendor
أُبَّهَةٌ
A Jug, an
ewer
Ultimately form
Greek
إِبْرِيْقٌ
Satan,
the Devil
إِبْلِيْسُ
Pears
Or:
إِنْجَاْصٌ
إِجَّاْصٌ
Bricks
آجُرٌ
A purple
dye
أُرْجُوَاْنٌ
A teacher
أُسْتَاْذٌ
Gilt silk
brocade
إِسْتَبْرَقٌ
A
cylinder
أُسْطُوَاْنَةٌ
A rabble(plu. word)
أَوْبَاْشٌ
A hall, a
porch
إِيْوَاْنٌ
Chamomile
بَاْبُوْنَجٌ
Eggplants
Ultimately form
Hindi
بَاْذِنْجَاْنٌ
A falcon
بَاْزٌ
A bazaar
بَاْزَاْرٌ
A sparrow
hawk
بَاشِقٌ
A parrot
Ultimately from
Hindi
بَبَّغَاْءٌ
An
isthmus
بَرْزَخٌ
A veil
بُرْقُعٌ
A program
بَرْنَاْمَجٌ
An
evidence, a proof
بُرْهَاْنٌ
Bronze
برونْزٌ
(He)
sharpened
From
بريدن""?
بَرَىْ ؟
Mail
بَرِيْدٌ
A garden
بُسْتَاْنٌ
A card
Ultimately from
Hindi?
بِطَاْقَةٌ ؟
Ducks
بَطٌّ
Baghdad
بَغْدَاْدُ
Parsley
بَقْدُوْنَسٌ
Crystal
بِلَّوْرٌ
Anesthesia, anesthetic
بِنْجٌ
Beetroots
بنجر؟
An
article, an item, a banner
بَنْدٌ
Hazelnuts
بُنْدُقٌ
Violets
بَنَفْسَجٌ
Gaudiness, tinsel
بَهْرَجٌ
An
acrobat
بَهْلَوَاْنٌ
An
Infantryman, a pawn
بَيْدَقٌ
A
hospital (obsolete)
بِيْمَاْرِسْتَاْنٌ
A crown
تَاْجٌ
Early
signs, literally "whiteness (of morning)"
تَبَاْشِيْرُ
Primping,
make-up
تَبَرُّجٌ
Border
(of land)
May be from
Aramaic?
تَخْمٌ
A
nonsensical thing
تُرَّهَةٌ
lupines
تُرْمُسٌ ؟
Citrons
تُرُنْجٌ
An
antidote
تِرْيَاْقٌ
(He)
profaned (obsolete)
تَزَنْبَرَ
An
embroidery
تَطْرِيْزٌ
Talc
تَلْكٌ
A
crocodile
تِمْسَاْحٌ ؟
A
tandoor, a furnace
Ultimately form
Aramaic
تَنُّوْرٌ
Berries
تُوْتٌ
Zinc
تُوْتْيَاْءُ
An avenue
جَاْدَّةٌ ؟
(He)
risked
جَاْزَفَ
A buffalo
جَاْمُوْسٌ
A
tribute, a capitation
From
گزيت
""?
جِزْيَةٌ ؟
Plaster,
gypsum
From "
گچ"
Ultimately form
Greek "gupsos"?
جِصٌّ
Balaustines (pomegranate flowers)
جُلَّنَارٌ
Pearls
جُمَاْنٌ
A wing
From
كناه""?
جَنَاْحٌ ؟
Soldiers
From
گند
""?
جُنْدٌ
Genies,
spirits
جِنٌّ ؟
A
protection
جُنَّةٌ ؟
A
connoisseur
جَهْبَذٌ
Broadcloth
جُوْخٌ
A sock
جَوْرَبٌ
Nuts
جَوْزٌ
Essence
جَوْهَرٌ
A gem
جَوْهَرَةٌ
A
caravansary
خَاْنٌ
Khorasan,
eastern Persia
خُرَاْسَاْنُ
Scrap,
waste material
خُرْدَةٌ
(He)
scratched
From
خراشيدن""?
خَرَشَ ؟
A
treasury
From
گنجينه ""?
خَزِيْنَةٌ ؟
(He/it)
become lower (sound, voice)
From خفتيدن""?
خَفَتَ ؟
A dagger
خَنْجَرٌ
A Moat, a
ditch
خَنْدَقٌ
A table
for food
خِوَاْنٌ
Cucumbers
خِيَاْرٌ
Reeds
خَيْزَرَاْنٌ
Gunny
خَيْشٌ ؟
A
constitution, a log
دُسْتُوْرٌ
(He)
inaugurated
دَشَّنَ
A
notebook
Ultimately form
Hindi
دَفْتَرٌ
A
vestibule
دِهْلِيْزٌ
(He)
wrote down
دَوَّنَ
A silk
brocade
دِيْبَاْجٌ
A
preamble
دِيبَاْجَةٌ
A
religion
May be Arabic?
دِيْنٌ ؟
A divan,
a registry
دِيْوَاْنٌ
A filth
رِجْسٌ ؟
A
sustenance
From
روزي""?
رِزْقٌ ؟
A
calendar
رُزْنَاْمَةٌ
A well
(obsolete)
رَسٌّ
A last
bit of life
رَمَقٌ ؟
Gardens
رَوْضٌ ؟
A
glamour, an allure
رَوْنَقٌ
Mercury
زِئْبَقٌ
Food
زَاْدٌ
An
adornment
زِبْرِج ؟
Peridot
زَبَرْجَدٌ
Gold,
embroidery
زُخْرُفٌ
Zoroaster
زَرَاْدَشْتُ
Zoroastrianism
زَرَاْدَشْتِيَّةٌ
Arsenic
زِرْنِيْخٌ
Emerald
زُمُرُّدٌ
A bitter
cold
زَمْهَرِيْرٌ
lilies
زَنْبَقٌ
Gingers
Ultimately form
Pali
زَنْجَبِيْلٌ
A
clandestinely irreligious person
زِنْدِيْقٌ
A
dungeon, a prison cell
زِنْزَاْنَةٌ
Zircon
زَيْرَقُوْنٌ
An outfit
From
زيستن""?
زِيٌّ ؟
A
credulous (adj.)
سَاْذَجٌ
Spinach
سَبَاْنِخُ
Hard
rocks, clay rocks (in Koran)
سِجِّيْلٌ
A mirage
May be Arabic?
May be from
Aramaic?
سَرَاْبٌ ؟
A lamp
سِرَاْجٌ
A
pavilion
سُرَاْدِقٌ
A gown
May be from
Aramaic?
سِرْبَاْلٌ
An armor
سَرْدٌ
A crypt,
an undercroft
سِرْدَاْبٌ
An
eternal (adj.)
سَرْمَدٌ
Pants
May be from
Aramaic?
سِرْوَاْلٌ
Hell (in
Koran)
سَقَرٌ
Sugar
سُكَّرٌ
A turtle
سُلَحْفَاْةٌ
A broker
سِمْسَاْرٌ
Crushed
wheat
سَمِيْدٌ
A
squirrel
سِنْجَاْبٌ
A gray
(adj.)
سِنْجَاْبِيٌّ
An anvil
سِنْدَاْنٌ
Soft silk
سُنْدُسٌ
Origin /
Mites / a plant "liquorice"
From
شوش ""?
سُوْسٌ ؟
Lilies
سَوْسَنٌ
A skewer
سِيْخٌ
A shawl
شَاْلٌ
A shah
شَاْهٌ
A
peregrine falcon
شَاْهِيْنٌ
Chess,
Shatranj
شِطْرَنْجٌ
A
candleholder
شَمْعَدَاْنٌ
Beetroots
شَمَنْدَرٌ
A chief
of merchants (obsolete)
شَهْبَنْدَرٌ
Appetizing (adj.)
From
شاهي""?
شَهِيٌّ ؟
A flame
(in Koran)
شُوَاْظٌ
A
narghile
شِيْشَةٌ
A morning
From
پگاح
""?
صَبَاْحٌ ؟
A
document, a check
صَكٌّ
A cross
From
چليپا
""?
صَلِيْبٌ ؟
A cymbal
صَنْجٌ
Sandals
صَنْدَلٌ
A fishing
rod
صِنَّاْرَةٌ
A son-in-law / a
brother-in-law
From
شوهر
""
صِهْرٌ
A tank, a
reservoir
صِهْرِيْجٌ
A scepter
صَوْلَجَاْنٌ
Pharmacology
صَيْدَلَةٌ
China
From
شوهر
""?
صِيْنٌ ؟
A hard,
tiresome (adj.)
ضَنْكٌ
A line, a
queue
طَاْبُوْرٌ
A casserole
Ultimately form
Greek
طَاْجِنٌ
A fresh
(e.g. food)
طَاْزَجٌ
A peacock
طَاْوُوْسٌ
A dish
طَبَقٌ ؟
A type,
model
طِرَاْزٌ
A
tarboosh, a fez
طَرْبُوْشٌ
A genius
عَبْقَرِيٌّ ؟
Lentils
عَدَسٌ ؟
Soldiers
عَسْكَرٌ
Afreet, a
demon
From
آفريدن
""?
عِفْرِيْتٌ ؟
Ambergris
عَنْبَرٌ
A wood
غَاْبَةٌ ؟
A wink
غَمْزَةٌ
Persia
فَاْرِسُ
فَاْرِسٌ ؟
A kind of
sweets made of flour and honey
فَالُوذَجٌ
Dividers
(instrument)
فِرْجَاْرٌ
Paradise
فِرْدَوْسٌ
An
archaic unit of distance (= ~3 miles)
فَرْسَخٌ
A branch
From
باره
"" ?
فَرْعٌ ؟
A dress
فُسْتَاْنٌ
Pistachios
فُسْتُقٌ
A large
tent
فُسْطَاْطٌ
An
erudite person
فَطْحَلٌ
Pepper
فُلْفُلٌ
A cup
فِنْجَاْنٌ
An index
of a book
فِهْرِسٌ
An index
of a book
فِهْرِسْتٌ
Turquoise
فَيْرُوْزٌ
An
elephant
Ultimately from
Aramaic
فِيْلٌ
A red dye
Ultimately from
Armenian
قُرْمُزٌ
A lion, a
brave person (in Koran)
قَسْوَرَةٌ
A large
piece of wood for eating on (a legless table, archaic)
قَصْعَةٌ
A lock
قُفْلٌ
A
medallion
Ultimately form
Greek?
قِلادَةٌ ؟
A jar
قُلَّةٌ
A hard, a
tough (adj.) (obsolete)
قَمْطَرِيْرٌ
A
metallic lamp
قُمْقُمٌ
A beaver
قُنْدُسٌ
A cup
Ultimately from
Aramaic
كَأْسٌ
Camphor
Ultimately form
Greek?
كَاْفُوْرٌ
Turmeric
Ultimately form
Hindi?
كُرْكُمٌ
A
Sassanid shah
From
خسرو
""
كِسْرَىْ
A thimble
كُشْتِبَانٌ
A kiosk
كُشْكٌ
Cakes
كَعْكٌ
Kofta, a
meat dish
كُفْتَةٌ
A tight
robe (archaic)
كَفْتَنٌ
A violin
كَمَاْنٌ
A violin
كَمَنْجَةٌ
A
treasure
From
گنج
"" ?
كَنْزٌ ؟
An
electricity
كَهْرَبَاْءُ
Amber,
electrum
كَهْرَمَاْنٌ
A cub
كُوْبٌ
A hut
كُوْخٌ
A mug, a
cone
كُوْزٌ
Pearls
لُؤْلُؤٌ
Lapis
lazuli
لازَوَرْدٌ
A leash
لِجَاْمٌ
A leash
لِجَاْمٌ
Cowpeas
لُوْبِيَاْءُ
Almonds
لَوْزٌ
Lilacs
لَيْلَكٌ
Zoroastrians, Magi
مَجُوْسٌ
Corals
مُرْجَاْنٌ
Musk
مِسْكٌ
Keys
Sing.
مِقْلِيْدٌ
or
إِقْلِيْدٌ
Ultimately form
Greek
مَقَاْلِيْدُ
A
catapult
مَنْجَنِيْقٌ
(He)
stamped (a letter)
مَهَرَ
A
carnival
مِهْرَجَاْنٌ
A white
fabric for writing (obsolete)
مُهْرَقٌ
A drain,
a gutter
May be Arabic?
May be from
Aramaic?
مِيْزَاْبٌ ؟
Bitter
oranges
نَاْرَنْجٌ
A musical
pipe
نَاْيٌ
A filth
From
ناپاک""
?
نَجَسٌ ؟
Narcissus
Form
"نرگس"
Ultimately form
Greek "narkissos"?
نَرْجِسٌ
A
narghile
نَرْجِيْلَةٌ
(He)
relapsed
From
نكون سار""?
نَكَسَ ؟
A cushion
نُمْرُقٌ
A model,
an exemplar
نَمُوْذَجٌ
A meteor
نَيْزَكٌ
A mortar
هَاْوِنٌ
Appearance, neatness
هِنْدَاْمٌ
Geometry,
engineering
هَنْدَسَةٌ
Roses
Ultimately from
Armenian "vard"
وَرْدٌ
Papers
وَرَقٌ
؟
Jasmines
يَاْسَمِيْنٌ
Rubies
Ultimately form
Greek
يَاْقُوْتٌ
I have another list of
Persian words in colloquial Arabic; hopefully it will be added here soon.
