PIE ROOTS IN PERSIAN - A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK
PIE ROOTS IN PERSIAN - A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK
Persian (Farsi) is an Indo-European language from the Indo-Iranian branch, so it retains extensive PIE vocabulary. Let me show you the major categories.
1. BASIC VOCABULARY (CORE PIE INHERITANCE)
Family Terms:
| Persian | PIE Root | Cognates |
|---|---|---|
| pedar (father) | *ph₂tḗr | Greek patḗr, Latin pater, English father |
| mādar (mother) | *méh₂tēr | Greek mḗtēr, Latin māter, English mother |
| barādar (brother) | *bʰréh₂tēr | Greek phrátēr, Latin frāter, English brother |
| dokhtar (daughter) | *dʰugh₂tḗr | Greek thugátēr, English daughter |
| pesar (son/boy) | *puH-tró- | Sanskrit putrá- (son) |
Body Parts:
| Persian | PIE Root | Cognates |
|---|---|---|
| del (heart) | *ḱḗr | Greek kēr, Latin cor, English heart |
| dast (hand) | *ǵʰes-ti- | Related to *ǵʰes- (hand) |
| dandan (tooth) | *h₃dónts | Greek odṓn, Latin dēns, English tooth |
| cheshm (eye) | *h₃ekʷ- | Greek okʷ-, Latin oculus, English eye |
| gush (ear) | *h₂ows- | Latin auris, English ear |
| pā (foot) | *pṓds | Greek poús, Latin pēs, English foot |
Numbers:
| Persian | PIE Root | Cognates |
|---|---|---|
| yek (one) | *Hóynos | Greek oînos, Latin ūnus, English one |
| do (two) | *dwóh₁ | Greek dúo, Latin duo, English two |
| se (three) | *tréyes | Greek treîs, Latin trēs, English three |
| chahār (four) | *kʷetwóres | Greek téttares, Latin quattuor, English four |
| panj (five) | *pénkʷe | Greek pénte, Latin quīnque, English five |
| shesh (six) | *swéḱs | Greek héx, Latin sex, English six |
| haft (seven) | *septḿ̥ | Greek heptá, Latin septem, English seven |
| hasht (eight) | *h₃eḱtṓw | Greek oktṓ, Latin octō, English eight |
| noh (nine) | *h₁néwn̥ | Greek ennéa, Latin novem, English nine |
| dah (ten) | *déḱm̥t | Greek déka, Latin decem, English ten |
2. PRONOUNS (FUNDAMENTAL PIE)
| Persian | PIE Root | Cognates |
|---|---|---|
| man (I, me) | *h₁me- | Greek mé, Latin mē, English me |
| to (you) | *túh₂ | Greek sú, Latin tū, English thou |
3. BASIC VERBS (PIE ROOTS)
"To Be":
| Persian | PIE Root | Cognates |
|---|---|---|
| ast (is) | *h₁es-ti | Sanskrit ásti, Greek estí, Latin est, English is |
| budan (to be) | *bʰuH- | Greek phúō, Latin fuī, English be |
Common Verbs:
| Persian | PIE Root | Meaning | Cognates |
|---|---|---|---|
| dānestan (to know) | *ǵneh₃- | to know | Greek gignṓskō, Latin nōscō, English know |
| bordan (to carry) | *bʰer- | to bear | Greek phérō, Latin ferō, English bear |
| āmadan (to come) | *gʷem- | to come | Greek baínō, Latin veniō, English come |
| didan (to see) | *weyd- | to see | Greek eídō, Latin videō, English wit |
| khordan (to eat) | *swād- | to eat | Latin suādeō (persuade - orig. taste) |
| raftan (to go) | *h₁rep- | to creep | Related to *rep- (creep, crawl) |
4. NATURE/ANIMAL TERMS
| Persian | PIE Root | Meaning | Cognates |
|---|---|---|---|
| gāv (cow) | *gʷṓws | cow | Greek boûs, Latin bōs, English cow |
| asp (horse) | *h₁éḱwos | horse | Greek híppos, Latin equus, English (h)ippopotamus |
| gorg (wolf) | *wl̥kʷos | wolf | Greek lúkos, Latin lupus, English wolf |
| mush (mouse) | *mūs | mouse | Greek mûs, Latin mūs, English mouse |
| māh (moon/month) | *mḗh₁n̥s | moon | Greek mḗn, Latin mēnsis, English moon/month |
| nām (name) | *h₁nómn̥ | name | Greek ónoma, Latin nōmen, English name |
5. PHILOSOPHICAL/ABSTRACT TERMS (RELEVANT TO SIX COMMITMENTS)
Truth/Order Concepts:
| Persian | PIE Root | Meaning | Philosophical Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| asha/arta (truth, order) | *h₂er-tós | cosmic order/truth | = Vedic ṛta (MORAL REALISM) |
| rāst (right, true) | *h₃reǵ-tós | straight, right | Greek orthós, Latin rēctus (CORRESPONDENCE) |
| dorost (correct, true) | *dʰer- + *h₃reǵ- | firm + straight | Related to truth/correctness |
This is crucial: Persian asha/arta = Avestan aša = Vedic ṛta (cosmic truth/order)
- Same PIE root: *h₂er- (to fit, order)
- Moral realism concept inherited from PIE
Soul/Mind Concepts:
| Persian | PIE Root | Meaning | Philosophical Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| ravan/ravān (soul) | *h₂éwh₂-n̥ | breath, soul | Related to soul (DUALISM) |
| jān (soul, life) | *ǵenh₁- | to beget, life | Greek génos, Latin genus (life principle) |
| kherad (wisdom, intellect) | *ḱred-dʰh₁- | heart-put (believe) | Latin cor + dō = crēdō (mind/belief) |
Freedom/Agency Terms:
| Persian | PIE Root | Meaning | Philosophical Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| āzād (free) | *ǵʰeh₁- + *séh₂d- | born + self | Concept of freedom (LIBERTARIAN FREEDOM) |
6. RELIGIOUS/COSMIC ORDER TERMS
The Most Important: ASHA/ARTA
Avestan (Old Persian): aša
Modern Persian: asha/arta (archaic, preserved in names/religious contexts)
PIE root: *h₂er- (to fit together, order, harmony)
Cognates:
- Vedic Sanskrit: ṛta (cosmic order, truth, moral law)
- Greek: ararískō (to fit), harmonia (harmony)
- Latin: ars (art, skill - fitting things together)
Philosophical significance:
- MORAL REALISM: Cosmic/moral order objectively exists
- CORRESPONDENCE: Truth = conformity to aša/ṛta
- FOUNDATIONALISM: Aša = foundational cosmic principle
This is THE central concept in Zoroastrian/ancient Persian philosophy, directly parallel to Vedic ṛta.
7. ZOROASTRIAN TECHNICAL TERMS (PIE ORIGINS)
| Persian/Avestan | PIE Root | Meaning | Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| daēnā (vision, consciousness) | *dʰeygʷʰ- | to form, knead | Related to mental formation |
| vohu manah (good mind) | *wesu- + *men- | good + mind | *wes- (good), *men- (mind, think) |
| ahura (lord, god) | *h₂ems- | to beget | Sanskrit asura |
| daeva (demon - orig. god) | *deiw- | god, deity | Greek theós, Latin deus |
8. LEGAL/SOCIAL ORDER TERMS
| Persian | PIE Root | Meaning | Philosophical Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| dād (justice, giving) | *deh₃- | to give | Greek dídōmi, Latin dō (justice as giving due) |
| dāvar (judge) | *deh₃- | to give | One who gives judgment |
9. PRESERVATION VS. INNOVATION
Persian Preserves PIE Better Than Greek in Some Cases:
Example: Numbers
- Persian haft (seven) closer to PIE *septḿ̥ than Greek heptá
- Persian hasht (eight) preserves original form better
Example: Truth/Order
- Persian asha/arta preserves PIE *h₂er-tós concept more directly
- Zoroastrian aša = Vedic ṛta (same concept, minimal change)
- Greek díkē = related but evolved differently
10. THE PHILOSOPHICAL VOCABULARY
Terms Related to Six Commitments:
DUALISM:
- ravan (soul) - PIE *h₂éwh₂-n̥ (breath, soul)
- jān (life, soul) - PIE *ǵenh₁- (to beget, life)
- tan (body) - PIE *tenh₂- (to stretch)
CORRESPONDENCE/TRUTH:
- asha/arta - PIE *h₂er-tós (cosmic truth/order)
- rāst - PIE *h₃reǵ-tós (straight, right, true)
- dorost - Related to straightness/correctness
MORAL REALISM:
- asha - Cosmic moral order (objective)
- dād (justice) - PIE *deh₃- (to give - justice as objective giving)
KNOWLEDGE/PERCEPTION:
- dānestan (to know) - PIE *ǵneh₃- (to know)
- didan (to see) - PIE *weyd- (to see, know)
11. COMPARISON: PERSIAN VS. GREEK PHILOSOPHICAL VOCABULARY
| Concept | Persian (PIE root) | Greek (PIE root) | Shared PIE Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmic Order/Truth | asha (*h₂er-tós) | díkē (*deyḱ-), ártā (*h₂er-) | YES (*h₂er-) |
| Soul | ravan (*h₂éwh₂-n̥) | pneuma (*pnew-), psychḗ (*bʰes-) | Related (breath concepts) |
| Truth | rāst (*h₃reǵ-tós) | orthós (*h₃reǵ-) | YES (*h₃reǵ-) |
| Know | dānestan (*ǵneh₃-) | gignṓskō (*ǵneh₃-) | YES (*ǵneh₃-) |
| See | didan (*weyd-) | eídō (*weyd-) | YES (*weyd-) |
| Mind | kherad (*ḱred-dʰh₁-) | kardía (*ḱḗr) | Related (heart/mind) |
Pattern: Persian and Greek share the same PIE philosophical vocabulary for key concepts related to the six commitments.
12. ZARATHUSTRA'S GATHAS (Oldest Persian Texts)
PIE Roots Preserved in Zoroastrian Scripture:
The Gathas (Zarathustra's hymns, ~1500-1000 BCE) preserve ancient PIE philosophical vocabulary:
- Aša (cosmic truth/order) - Central concept
- Vohu Manah (good mind/thought) - PIE *wesu- (good) + *men- (mind)
- Spenta Mainyu (holy spirit) - PIE *spenh₁- (to succeed) + *men- (mind)
- Arta (truth, righteousness) - PIE *h₂er-tós
These texts show: Persian preserved PIE philosophical concepts independently of Greek, with same PIE roots for truth, order, mind, soul.
13. THE CRUCIAL POINT FOR YOUR QUESTION
Persian Preserves the SAME PIE Philosophical Commitments as Greek:
DUALISM:
- Soul terms (ravan, jān) from PIE breath/life roots
- Body/soul distinction in Zoroastrianism (like Greek/Vedic)
CORRESPONDENCE:
- Truth vocabulary (rāst, dorost) from PIE "straight/right"
- Aša = correspondence to cosmic order
MORAL REALISM:
- Aša = objective cosmic/moral order (like Vedic ṛta)
- Not subjective, not constructed, but objective reality
- Central to Zoroastrian ethics
FOUNDATIONALISM:
- Aša = foundational cosmic principle
- Not derived, but bedrock of order
FREEDOM (implied):
- Zoroastrian choice between good/evil (Ahura Mazda vs. Angra Mainyu)
- Human responsibility for choices
The evidence: Persian independently preserved PIE folk philosophy, systematized differently (Zoroastrianism) but with same PIE roots and analogous commitments to Greek philosophy.
14. MAJOR PERSIAN PIE ROOTS BY CATEGORY
Complete List of Key Roots:
Family: *ph₂tḗr, *méh₂tēr, *bʰréh₂tēr, *dʰugh₂tḗr
Body: *ḱḗr, *ǵʰes-ti-, *h₃dónts, *h₃ekʷ-, *h₂ows-, *pṓds
Numbers: *Hóynos through *déḱm̥t (1-10)
Pronouns: *h₁me-, *túh₂
Being: *h₁es-ti, *bʰuH-
Knowledge: *ǵneh₃-, *weyd-
Truth/Order: *h₂er-tós, *h₃reǵ-tós
Soul/Mind: *h₂éwh₂-n̥, *ǵenh₁-, *men-
Animals: *gʷṓws, *h₁éḱwos, *wl̥kʷos
Nature: *mḗh₁n̥s, *h₁nómn̥
Persian retains: ~40-50% of basic PIE vocabulary (very high for modern IE language)
15. WHY THIS MATTERS
Persian Shows Independent Preservation of PIE Commitments:
Greek philosophy systematized PIE folk philosophy into:
- Platonic Forms (díkē, nous)
- Aristotelian eudaimonia
- Stoic lógos, prohairesis
Persian/Zoroastrian philosophy systematized same PIE folk philosophy into:
- Aša (cosmic order = Vedic ṛta)
- Vohu Manah (good mind)
- Dualist cosmology (Ahura Mazda vs. Angra Mainyu)
Both used SAME PIE roots: *h₂er- (order), *men- (mind), *h₂éwh₂- (soul), *weyd- (know/see), *h₃reǵ- (straight/true)
This proves: The six commitments (or analogues) are PIE inheritance, not Greek innovation.
CONCLUSION
Persian Preserves Extensive PIE Vocabulary Including Philosophical Terms:
Strong PIE inheritance:
- Family, body, numbers, pronouns (100% PIE)
- Basic verbs (being, knowing, seeing) (PIE)
- Truth/order concepts (aša, rāst) (PIE)
- Soul/mind concepts (ravan, jān, kherad) (PIE)
Most Important: Aša (PIE *h₂er-tós) = Persian equivalent of Vedic ṛta = objective cosmic/moral order (MORAL REALISM)
This shows: Persian independently preserved the same PIE philosophical commitments that Greek philosophy systematized, proving these commitments are ancient PIE folk philosophy (~4500+ BCE), not Greek innovations.
The six commitments: Embedded in PIE vocabulary preserved in Persian, Greek, Sanskrit, and other IE languages - suggesting common PIE folk philosophical worldview systematized independently by different IE cultures (Greek, Vedic, Persian/Zoroastrian).
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