Achomi (), also known as Khodmooni and Larestani, is a Middle Persian (Parsig) derived and Southwestern Iranian language spoken by the Achomi people in southern Fars and western Hormozgan and by significant numbers of Ajam citizens in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other neighbouring countries.
It is the predominant language of Khur, Gerash, Larestan, Lamerd, Khonj, and Evaz counties in Fars and Bastak County and Ruydar in Hormozgan province.
Moreover, many cities, towns, and villages in Iran have their own particular dialect, such as Larestan, Khonj, Gerash, Evaz, Ashkanan, Bastak, Lar, and Banaruiyeh. The majority of Achomi speakers are Sunni Muslims, with a minority being Shia Muslims.
The Achomi language is considered a descendant of the Sassanid Persian language or Middle Persian.گويش مردم اوز. نسرين انصاف پور و محمد رفيع ضيايى 1396
Etymology and name of the language There are different ways to refer to this language. Achomi: Native speakers often refer to their language as "ačomī", which means "I go" in the language. Other explanations for this name are the language's frequent usage of the [tʃ] consonant, and that Arabs, with whom these people traded, called them 'Ajam', which means non-Arab. Khodmooni: In GCC states surrounding the Persian Gulf, Achomis are referred to as Khodmooni'. This translates to "of our own kind". Lari: This language is sometimes called Lari. To reiterate, 'Lar' originates from 'Lad' which means "the origin of everything". It is also important to note that Lari can be used to refer to a dialect or a language.
History Achomi language and its various local dialects such as Lari, Evazi, Khonji, Gerashi, Bastaki, etc... and is a branch of the Middle Persian (Pahlavi) language of the Sassanid Empire.
Today, the language is known as an endangered language. In particular, UNESCO refers to it as a "definitely endangered" language with approximately 1,180,000 speakers. It also does not have official language status in Iran. This is because Iran only recognizes standard Persian as an official language. However, Iran allows the use of minority languages, such as Achomi, in the media and the education system (alongside Persian). Nevertheless, Achomi remains an endangered language with many dialectal differences gradually disappearing because of the domination of Iranian Tehrani New Persian (Farsi).
Many Iranians moved to GCC States in order to pursue better economic opportunities. This included Achomis. These Achomis are often multilingual. Achomi migrants still speak this language in their homes, however, this variety has been influenced by the Arabic language a little but is mutually intelligible with standard Persian.
Classification
The language is a branch of the Pahlavi Parsig language. This means that it shares the ergative structure of Pahlavi. It is also an analytical language. This can be linked back to its membership in the southwestern branch of Middle-Iranian languages.
Except for the regional accent, pronunciation of certain words, and a slight variation in grammar, this old language has been the common language of the Southwestern Pars Province and parts of Hormozgan province for nearly 1,800 years despite the various conquests of the region since the fall of the Sassanid Empire.
Dialects Achomi has many dialects. These dialects correspond to Larestan's different towns. Examples of these dialects include Lari, Evazi, Gerashi, Khonji and Bastaki. These dialectical variations may present themselves through pronunciation. There may also be grammatical and word differences between the dialects. Hence, if the speaker is from Evaz, they are referred as speaking Evazi, and if they are from Bastak their dialect is known as Bastaki.
An example of a dialectal variation: in some particular regions, Achomi people say raftom for "I went" (very similar to the Persian raftam), but in some other regions, just as Lar people, they say (Kurdish: dichim or dechim) instead.
Samples
Vocabulary +NounsEnglishAchomiNew PersianNotesHousekhan, خانkhoneh, خونهBahraini Arabic and Middle Persian refer to hotel as "Khan" as wellBraceletKhonj: اسرتی
Fedagh: بژبن
Bandari/Langi: بنگلی
Lari: میل/میلی
Herang: ببو
Burdestan: سوکیدستبند، النگوRose of JerichoKhonj: اِدرَه
Jenah: هَندَرَه
Fedagh: اُندُرُ
Evaz: هِدره
Ashkana/Kemashk: اَندِره
Ehal: هُزرَه
Other: شمسیل، اُندِرو، اُندِرهچنگ مریمFrogبک، بکریک، بکروک، بکو، بُکی، بَکی، باباهویقورباغهBoyپُس، چوکپِسرHair strandتال مویتار مویUncovered/BareپاپتیبرهنهAfternoonپَسین, Pesinبعد از ظهرAuntدامونعمة/خالهGirlکچ، دُختدُخترSunافتاوآفتابSleepخَوخوابBreakfastناشتاصبحانهEyeچش/چیشچشمEarگُشگوشTeethددودندانMouthکپدهنBeardلشریشReesh in Arabic (ريش) means FeatherBrowبرمابروTongueازبوزبونNoseپیزدماغDemagh (دماغ) is used to refer to the Brain in Arabic. While in some Gulf Arabic dialects, Buz (بوز) is used to refer to the mouth (noted to be from an older Iranian dialect).Doorدروازه/دردرSocksدو لاغ (لاخ)جورابIn Gulf Arabic they also say Dolagh (دولاغ), as opposed to formal Arabic (جورب).Sandalچِپَلیکفش راحتی/صندلCaveاِشکَتغارNorthسرحد/گَهدِم/گَهدِم/گاهشمالSandبَلخاکSkyآسموآسمان/آسمونWaterfallپَرتُنگَ آوآبشار/آوشورRainبَرون/بَروباران/بارونIce/SnowبَفربرفTonightإشوامشبTodayاِروزاِمروز +PronounsEnglishAchomiKurdishNew Persian (Farsi)I/meYou He/she We You (plural)They
Grammatical features
Past tense verbs
First type To make simple past verbs
The ids (om / ot / osh / mo / to / sho) + The simple past root of the first type.
Example: +EnglishAchomiKurdishNew Persian (Farsi)I toldHe/she wonYou ate (plural)
Second type The root of the past simple second type + ids (em / esh / ruleless / am / ee / en)
Example: EnglishAchomiKurdishNew Persian (Farsi)Went (I)Went (you)Went (she/he)Went (we)Went (you-plural)Went (they) And...
Ergativity To create an ergative verb in past tense we can use the verb root plus its proper prefix.
For example, in Achomi, the root for the verb "to tell" is "got" (gota equals "tell"). EnglishAchomiKurdishNew Persian (Farsi)I toldYou toldHe/she toldWe toldYou (plural) toldThey told Another example: "deda" means "see," and "dee" Kurdish (Deed or dee) is the root verb. So: EnglishAchomiKurdishNew Persian (Farsi)I sawYou sawHe/she sawWe sawYou (plural) sawThey saw
Simple present To create a simple present or continued present tense of a transitive verb, here's another example: EnglishAchomiKurdish (Karmanji)New Persian (Farsi)I am telling...Ez dibêjim...You are telling...Tu dibêjî...He/she is telling...Ew dibêje ...We are tellingEm dibêjinYou (pl) are telling...Tu dibêjîThey are telling...Ew dibêjin ... For the verb "see" ("deda"):
adead'em, adeda'esh, adeaday,...
Sentences +Source MaterialAchomiNew Persian (Farsi)Englishاوش گت اِ خَش نی osh got e khash neHe/she said this is not goodریبای اُش گُت: مَم نای خونَه مِن Ribay osh got: Mam nay khone minThe fox said: I don't need it, I have a home already.اُشنا فَمی چُنگ بُکُن اِران فِک کَت اُچی اَ خونَه‌ی دامونِ اُشتُری Oshna fami chung bokon eran fek kat ochi a khone-ye damon-e oshtoriHe didn't know what to do, he thought he could go to the aunt camel's house.دامون اُشتُری در واز اُشکی، اوی گُت: از کَ هُندش Damon oshtori dar vaz oshki, oy got: Az ka hondashThe aunt camel opened the door, he/she said: where did you come from?ریبای: مَ از خونمو ribay: ma az khonamoFox: I [came] from homeدامونٍ أُشتُرى اگی: بَر جِه هُندِسِش اَ اِكِه؟
damone oshtori agee: bar che honsesh aeke?Camel aunt said: why did you come here?ربياى: خونم پر تا پره او بُده
ribay: khonamo por ta pore ow bodeFox: my home was full of waterأُشتُرى: بِدو اِ كِه پَس دَروازَ هُخَت
oshtori: bedo eke pase darvaza okhatCamel: sleep behind my doorربياى: مَ مِ کِ نا خَتِم, دَروازَى گُتى گُتى مَ لى بِكِت
ribay: ma meke nakhatem, daravazy goti goti Mali beketFox: I can't sleep there, the big door might fall on meأُشتُرى: نِپَ بُرو پَنِ خُمَ هُخَت
oshtori: nepa boro pane khoma hokhatCamel: go sleep next to the parkریبای اگی: خومَه ى كُتى كُتى مَلى بِكِت robaye agee: khomaye goti goti Mali beketشَ هَرجُ اَگُت هُخَت شَ گُت مَ ناخَتِم
sha harjo agot hokhat, shagot ma nakhatemWherever he told him to sleep he said I wont sleep
Poetry +Bastaki Dialect – Gol Bustan (Ali Akbar Bastaki ver)AchomiNew Persian (Farsi)Englishگل بستانِن اسمُش نادُنِم Gol bostanen esmush nadonem سرو گلستانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Sarv golestanen esmush nadonemگل بوستان است، نامش را نمی‌برم سرو گلستان است، نامش را نمی‌دانمThe flower is from the garden, but I do not mention its name.
The cypress is from the grove, but I do not know its name.جمال زیبایش هَرکِش نَدِدُه Jamal zibayesh har kesh nadede چون ماه تابانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Chon mah tabanen esmush nadonemچهرهٔ زیبای او را هر کس ندیده‌است [بداند که] چون ماه تابان است، نامش را نمی‌دانمThose who have not seen their beautiful face [should know that]
It shines like the radiant moon, but I do not know their name.کمند گیسویش حلقه‌حلقه هِن Kamand gisuyehsh halqeh-halqeh hen چو عنبرافشانِن اسمُش نادُنِم cho anbara afshanen esmush nadonemگیسویش همچون کمندی، حلقه‌حلقه است،
که عطر عنبر می‌پراکند – نامش را نمی‌دانم.Her hair, like a lasso, is curled in perfect rings,
Scattering the fragrance of ambergris – I do not know her name.بِگِرد رخسار ماه اَنوَرُش Begard rokhsar mah anvoresho گِزِیْرِ چوگانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Gezir-e choganen esmush nadonemبر گرد عارضش ماه انوری است که زیر چوگان [زلفش محاط] است، نامش را نمی‌دانمAround their visage is a luminous moon,
Encircled beneath the arc of their tresses, but I do not know their name.کمان ابرویش وقت قصد دل Kaman abruyesh vaght qasd del با تیر مژگانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Ba tir-e mozhganen esmush nadonemکمان ابروی او [در] هنگام شکار دل [عاشق] به همراه تیر مژگان است، نامش را نمی‌دانمThe bow of their eyebrow, in the hunt for a lover's heart,
Is accompanied by the arrow of their lashes, but I do not know their name.چشمان شهلایَش پناهم بخدا Cheshman-e shahlayash panah-am be khoda رهزن ایمانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Rahzan-e iman-en esmush nadonem[از] چشمان شهلای او پناه به خدا می‌برم [که] رهزن ایمان است، نامش را نمی‌دانمI seek refuge in God from their captivating, doe-like eyes, For they are a thief of faith, but I do not know their name. دماغ باریکش پَترِنُویْ طلا Damaq-e barikash patrenavi tala چن چفت و موزونِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Chen cheft o mozounen esmush nadonem[بر] بینی باریک او پتری طلا چقدر متناسب و موزون است، نامش را نمی‌دانمUpon their slender nose lies a golden ornament, So perfectly balanced and harmonious, but I do not know their name.دهان چون میمش دُرْجِ مُرْوَرِی Dahan chon mimash dorj-e morvari پستهٔ خندانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Pesteh khandanen esmush nadonemدهان چون میم او [که] پر از مروارید است پستهٔ خندان را مانَد، نامش را نمی‌دانمHer mouth, shaped like the letter Mīm, is filled with pearls,
It resembles a laughing pistachio; I do not know her name.لعل لب قندُش چون نبات ناب La’l-e lab-e ghandesh chon nabat-e nab عقیق و مرجانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Aqiq o marjanen esmush nadonemلعل لب شکرینش چون نبات و یا [چون] عقیق و مرجان است، نامش را نمی‌دانمHer sweet lips of ruby are like sugarcane,
Or like agate and coral; I do not know her name.در مجلس صحبت خوش‌مَثَل چُونُویْ Dar majles sohbat khosh-masale chonovey بلبل خوش‌خوانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Bolbol-e khosh-khanen esmush nadonemدر گفتگو و سخن از بس خوش‌صحبت است [مانند] بلبل خوش‌خوان است، نامش را نمی‌دانمIn conversation and speech, she is so charming,
She is like a sweet-singing nightingale; I do not know her name.لِه سینهٔ صافُش آخی بر دلم Le sineh safesh, akhi bar delam دو سیب پستانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Do sib-e pestanen esmush nadonemروی سینهٔ صافش، ای وای بر دلم پستان او چون دو سیب است، نامش را نمی‌دانمOn her smooth chest—oh, woe to my heart!
Her breasts are like two apples; I do not know her name.همچون دل عاشق بیقرار و تاب Hamchon del-e asheq biqarar o tab زیبق لرزانِن اسمُش نادُنِم
Zeybaq-e larzanen esmush nadonemفیروزه‌انگشتر شَه انگشت بلور Firouzeh angoshtar-e shah angosht-e bolour دست پُر بِهْبانِن[ح] اسمُش نادُنِم