Tajik Persian- Readings in History, Culture and Society, 2016a

Tajik Persian: Readings in
History, Culture and Society
Razi Ahmad
University of Kansas Libraries
i

Tajik Persian: Readings in
History, Culture and Society
Razi Ahmad
University of Kansas Libraries
Lawrence, K
ii

© 2016 Razi Ahmad
ISBN: 978-1-936153-10-7
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iii

Acknowledgement
Tajik Persian: Readings in History, Culture and Society grew out of the
materials developed for the purpose of teaching Language Across the Cur-
cepting
my LAC proposal and encouraging me in developing such courses. I
would also like to thank Professor Marc Greenberg (Director, KU School of
Languages, Literatures, and Cultures) for his encouragement in preparing the
textbook.
I must express my gratitude to Dildora Toshmatova for her invaluable contributions
in collecting and developing the materials for this book. I would also
like to thank Shamsullo Mirzoev for sharing his insights and editing and proofreading
the draft as a native speaker. I am grateful to Marianne Reed (Digital
Initiatives Coordinator, KU Libraries) and Josh Bolick (Scholarly Communications
Librarian, KU Libraries) for their advice and Pam LeRow (CLAS/Digital
Media Service) for technical assistance. Finally, I thank my wife Tasnim
Fatma for her patience and never ending support.
Of course, any shortcomings are mine.
iv

Table of Contents
P .............................................................................................vi
...............1
............................................................................7
..............................................................................12
RUSSIAN OCCUPATION OF
...............................................17
5: MIRZO TURSUNZODA
...............................................................................22
......................................................27
..............................................................................32
TODAY’S TAJIKISTAN
.......................................36
Co ........................................41
.............................................................46
? ..........................................................51
.....................................................................................56
...................................................................61
...........................................................65
v

Preface
its other two variants Iranian and Dari Persian written in the Arabic-based
language of Tajikistan. The primary purpose of Tajik Persian: Readings in
History, Culture and Society
Tajik at advanced level.
The book can be adopted by instructors as a supplementary or the main
textbook for advanced-level courses. Since it is not a basic language textbook
or workbook, it expects students to be familiar with the intermediate-level
vocabulary and modern Tajik grammar, provides explanation of only a
select
mar books available in the market. It is recommended to use John R.
Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar (Leiden, Boston: Brill
Academic Pub-lishers: 2005), hitherto the most comprehensive grammar for
the language in
for all the exercises are provided at the end of the
book.
The book aims at improving general reading comprehension and provides
students glimpses into the history, culture and society of Tajikistan in
chronological order, but the majority of readings have been carefully
selected and arranged to keep the focus on cultural aspects of the country—
an aspect that constitutes a core component in the second language
acquisition. It can be used to create opportunities for students to engage in
debate and discussion on various topics in their historical and sociocultural
contexts. For example, the
the region, followed by a reading on
statues of Buddha, indicative of a practice strictly prohibited in Islam. The
two chapters together provide an interesting historical and sociocultural
context to discuss Tajik arts and aesthetics and their production. The
book, however, does not aspire to be a substitute for scholarly books on
history and culture. One may like to consult original sources from which
readings have been extracted or follow the suggested books and articles, given
in footnotes, for a better understanding of the topics.
All the readings in Tajik Persian: Readings in History, Culture and
Society are authentic and written for native speakers. It is hoped that it will
help students prepare for carrying out research using primary sources in the
target language.
vi

CHAPTER 1: THE SAMANID STATE STRUCTURE
1
2 -
3
4
.
-
1
Here, “. . . ” (‘. . . is possible only when’) makes the
sentence “. . .
.” a possible conditional sentence. Hence, the main
compound verb “” is in present subjunctive form. See, discussion of Tajik
verbs in John R. Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar (Leiden, Boston: Brill Academic
Publishers: 2005).
2
“. . . ” is in passive [Past participle + the appropriate form of ].
3
“. . . .” literally translates into “. . . they had built
ten large buildings for diwans.” Nonetheless, an appropriate translation would be ‘. . . ten large
buildings were/had been built for diwans’.
4
The letter in because it is written only in
1

5
6
7
(Text taken from , 2008), 335-37)
(Mausoleum of Ismail Samani, Bukhara, Uzbekistan) 8
5
. For
more see John R. Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar, 226-27.
6
nessed
durative. For more see Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar, 276.
7
N. Frye (ed.) The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 4. Cambridge University Press: 1975.
8
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AUZ_Bukhara_Samanid-mausoleum.jpg
2

(Somoni Monument, Dushanbe, Tajikistan) 9
(prep.) – according to, on
account of
(n.) – chief of the
[Lit. – chief, great man; –
country]
.) – founder
.) – farmer
(n.) – endowment
(adj.) – civil (a Russian
loanword for
() – at (some)
disposal
.) – (royal) court
.) – apparatus
.) – government department,
chancery
(v.) – to manage
.) –
(adj.) – economic
.) – will,
(adj.) – counterfeit, fraud
.) – judge
.) – rank, position
.) – center
9
Somoni Monument, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/File:Somoni_Monument,_Dushanbe,_Tajikistan.JPG (Attribution: By Rjruiziii (Own
mons)
3

(n.) – “black room”
(adj.) – administrative
(n.) – institution, foundation
(v.) – to interfere
(n.) – property; country, state
(pl. of –
correspondence
(n.) – treasurer
.) – appropriate
(n.) –
police
(n.) – inspector
.) – control
(adj.) – shoddy, of poor
quality
.) – craftsman
.) – mail,
– public square near citadel
in Samarqand and Bukhara
.) – reign
(adj.) – political
(n.) – chief of the
postal department, postmaster
(n.) – captain of the
guard [ (pl. ) – police)]
.) – division
.) – scale
(v.) – to be appointed
.) – method
(n.) – treasury
– delivering mail
.) – caliphate
(n.) – war, battle [adj. ]
– military-civil
.) – chamberlain
(adv.) – as
.) – to implement
.) – condition, environment
.) – city
.) – judge
EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
1.
b)
2.
b)
4

a)
5.
a)
b)
c)
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[]-
[] – ? (Choose [] for the true statements
and [] for the false.)
1. .
[/]
2.
[/]
3.
. [/]
4.
[/]
5.
[/]
5

(Complete the
following sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in
parenthesis.)
1. ,
____________
(/
2.
__________().
3.
4.
__________,
()
5.
6

1
2
(Text taken from . . , (, 2008) 242)
1
- is added to a noun to make adjective. Here (wooden) is derived from
the word .
2
For modern Tajik art and architecture see, Larisa Dodkhudoeva, Rustam Mukimov, and Katherine
Hughes, “Tajik Art: A Century of New Traditions” in The Shaping of Persian Art Collections
and Interpretations of the Art of Islamic Iran and Central Asia, ed. Yuka Kadoi and Iván
7

(n.) – size, measurement,
degree
(n.) || – work of art,
monument, composition (of writers)
(v.) – to remain, to be left
(n.) – cushion, pillow
– sleeping/reclining
Buddha
(v.) – to come across, to
be met with
(adj.) – blue; green (as in
‘green tea’)
(n.) – engraving, carving
(n.) – curve, crease, fold
(n.) – part
/ (n.) – mold, cast
(n.) – cloth
(n.) – clay
(adj.) – bare, naked
(adj.) – wavy, wave – like
(n.) – collection, series
(n.) – hair (of head)
(n.) – nirvana
(n.) – side
(v.) – to stand straight
(adj.) – light
(n.) – art
(adj.) – black
(n.) – series
8

(n.) – platform
(v.) – to imagine
(n.) – strap, belt
(n.) – niche
(n.) – statue
– statues of Buddha
(v.) – to aspire
(n.) – wood
(n.) – art of sculpture,
sculpting
EXERCISE
. (Choose the correct answer.)
9

(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2.
[/]
3.
[/]
4.
[/]
5.
[/]
/
(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1. ___________.
(
2.
/ )
3.
10

4.
____().
5.
-
)
11

(858-941)
, ,
1
2
3
(Text taken from , (Grade 8 History
Textbook, Tajikistan) Pleiades Publishing Inc. 2001)
1
is to call a person ‘the father of so-and-so’ or ‘mother of so-and-so’ by using the words Abu
(father of) or Umm (mother of) respectively. Such names are called kunya. For example, Abu
Hanifa means ‘father of Hanifa’ and Umm Kulthum ‘mother of Kulsum’. A person can also be
called by his/her nasab (pedigree, genealogy) as ibn bint
so-and-so”. Arabic words ibn and bint means ‘son’ and ‘daughter’ respectively. The full name
may comprise the kunya, the name given by parents at birth, and nasab. So, in Rudaki’s full
kunya
nasab (consisting of four generations).
For a scholarly discussion of naming practices in Muslim societies, see Annemarie Schimmel,
Islamic Names
Names.pdf
2
Passive: past participle of the main verb + the appropriate tense of ‘to be/become’.
3
daki
; for Classical Persian literature see http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/iran-viii2-classical-persian-literature.
12

4
Rudaki Tomb in Panjkent, Tajikistan 5
4
the habitual/continuous
tense. So, is the same as ‘comes/is coming’.
5
Rudaki Tomb in Panjkent. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARudaki_Tomb_in_Panjkent-after_restored.jpg
(Attribution: By MyName (Jamal Nazareth (talk)) (Own
13

(n.) – father of
(n.) – tradition
(n.) – founder
(adj.) – direct
(v.) – to depend on, to
be connected with
(n.) – valley
– with the passage of
days
– continuation, endurance,
persistence
(adj.) – Rough, coarse
– son of
– honorary
(n.) – caravan
(n.) – leader (literal:
leader of a caravan)
(n.) – name of a river in
Bokhara
– Adam of poets
(adj.) – universal, spread
throughout the world
(n.) – the river Oxus
(n.) – silk
(adj.) – complete
(n.) – sand, gravel,
(n.) – cypress-tree
(n.) – leader
(adj.) – fortunate, lucky,
invincible hero (a title usually given to
mighty sultans and kings)
(n.) – a pen name, a nom de
plume
(n.) – title
(n.) – a gray horse
(n.) – the river Oxus (or river
Bactrus)
(adj.) – everlasting, perpetual
– with the passage of
time
EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
1.
b)
2.
14

3.
4.
5.
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
. [/]
2.
. [/]
3.
[/]
4. .
[/]
15

5.
[/]
/
(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1.
__________
(/)
2.
__________
3.
_________ . (/
)
4.
__________. (
5. __________. (/)
16

RUSSIAN
-
1861
1
2 -
-
–
.
–60–
3 4
-
1
The grammatical construction past imperfect denotes obligation in the past. For example,
‘he had to buy/he should have bought’.
2
‘’ (contested/used to contest) is in habitual past tense.
3
loses its glottal stop before in ezafeh construction.
4
17

5
(Text taken from, , :
, 2005, 61–64)
6
.) – activities , operation
(n.) – eve, period before an
event; ninth day of the Arabic month
zul hijja
.) – captivity
– raw materials
(v.) – to take out
(n.) – system of slave
owning
– selling of slaves,
slave trade
– on the eve of
(v.) – to intervene
(also written as
) (n.) – trade, trading
relations, barter
.) – conquer
(n.) – Occupy of
Central Asia
–
work
(v.) – to occupy
(adv.) – long ago, since long
– very long ago, already
long ago
5
For more on this topic, read Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central
Asia (New York: Kodansha, 1994)
6
“They Attack Unaware” Image source:
18

enterprises, factories
(n.)– serf
.) – army, troops
(n.) – position; place, location
struggle
(adj.) – independent
(n.) – colony, settlement
(v.) – to strengthen
resources
.) – leader
(n.) – capitalism
.) – policy, politics
– to sign a peace treaty
.) – commander
(adv.) – actively
– front
(n.) – Khanate
.) – espionage
.) – revolt
EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
1.
b)
b)
3.
5
b) 3
8
4.
1862
b) 1864
1866
19

5.
b)
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1. ,
. [/]
2.
[/]
3. -60-
[/]
4.
[/]
5.
. [/]
20

(Complete the
following sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in
parenthesis.)
1. _____
,
. (\)
2.
____________
3.
/
).
4.
____________.
(\
5.
____________. (\
21

CHAPTER 5:
(1911-1977)
1 ,
2
1
is attached to a word ending in vowel sound , the letter
2
The word in this sentence refers to Tursunzoda.
22

,
3
(Text taken from and ,
(Grade 11 literature textbook), 2007. 161-163)
:
“”
3
The word in this sentence refers to Tursunzoda.
23

.) – to die, to
expire
(n.) – sea
(n.) – cholera
.) – to pass, to
transmit
(n.) – quarter, ward,
neighborhood
– tanners’ quarter
(n.) – door
(n.) – teacher
training institute
(n.) – greeting
(n.) – boarding school
(n.) – Union
– creative works
(n.) – street, quarter
(adj.) – gifted
(n.) – position; place, location
(n.) – wave
.) – madrasah, religious
school
(n.) – joke; comedy
(adj.) – joyful, delighted
(adj.) – fascinated, charmed,
enchanted
– lose, be deprived
(of)
(n.) – administration
.) –
.) – kind
.) – area, region
(v.) – to promote,
taking initiative
(adj.) – newborn
.) – pampering, coddling,
caress, kindness
(n.) – appearance, view
(n., Russian loanword) – play
(v.) – to improve
(n.) – upbringing, education,
training
– theater for
musical comedy
.) – pupil
(n.) – student
(n.) – storm
(n.) – ocean
.) – to work
(adj.) – pleasant, pleasing,
genial
(n.) – boundary, limit, border
.) – artist
(n.) – tanner, a person whose
work is tanning hides
.) – world view, outlook
(adj.) – fascinated, charmed,
infatuated
.) – poet
24

EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
a) 1911
b) 1920
c) 1977
1933
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
25

[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1. -
2.
3.
4.
5.
.
/
(Complete the
following sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in
parenthesis.)
1.
_______________. (
2. 1920- _____________
3.
)
4.
______________
()
5.
_______________. (
26

CHAPTER 6:
1
,” “
,” 2 .
,
,
3 .
4
1
is an adjective derived from the noun izfat construction,
the letter “” changes into “” because “
detailed discussion of , see John R. Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar (Leiden,
Boston: Brill Academic Publishers: 2005), 71-83 and for a very brief reference see Shinji Ido,
Tajik
2
In order to make passive
of some of the compound verbs with , is replaced by . . For a detailed
discussion of passive, see John R. Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar, 247-76 and for a
very brief reference see Shinji Ido, Tajik, 12. 67-68.
3
(not much attention used to be/were (being) paid) is a passive
form [Past participle + appropriate tense of ].
4
, also written as (as in Parvona Jamshedov, Tajik-English Dictionary second edition,
(or + (use)] ‘misuse’ or
() + (understanding)] ‘misunderstanding’.
27

Dushanbe riots, February 1990 5
A house destroyed during civil
war in Khatlon Province. 6
-
7
.
(Text taken from: (Grades 9 and 11 History
Textbook, Tajikistan) by P. )
5
“Dushanbe riots, February 1990”. Dushanbe riots, February 10-17, 1990. Image Source: RIA
Novosti archive, http://visualrian.ru/ru/site/gallery/#699865
6
A house destroyed during the 1992 civil war in Khatlon Province, Tajikistan. Image Source:
UNHCR
7
The modal verb is also used with subjunctive. For example,
can also be written as
.
28

– stop working
– to
succeed (in a work)
– population growth
(n.) – population
(n.) – unemployed
.) – revival, restoration
.) – to break, to
destroy
.) – event
– on the scale of
– help, assistance
– democratization
– attention
.) – economic
.) – public, social
.) – children
.) – press
.) – area, region
– to be in need of
smth
.) –
– not enough
– dissatisfaction,
disagreement
/ (n.) – footwear
.) – reason
.) – to abuse
.) – progress,
development
(n.) – supply
(adv.) – Steadily, continuously
.) – run away, escape
.) – tragic
(n.) – people
.) – service
– democratic party
– Islamic revival
party
– new political
parties
government
.) – society
.) – war
. ) –
civil
.) – power, force, intensity
.) – motto, slogan
(n.)
29

EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
1.
b)
2.
b)
3.
b)
b)
5.
b)
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
30

: [ -
] – ? (Choose [] for
the true statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2.
. [/]
3.
,
[/]
4.
. [/]
5. ,
“ ”
[/]
/
(Complete
the following sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs
in parenthesis.)
1. _________. ( /
)
2. ________
. (/
)
3.
________. (/ )
4. _____________
(/
5. __________
.
31

–
-
–
.
(Text taken from the newspaper “”, 18.02.11)
32

(n.) – an awardee
Tajikistan
(n.) – building for
studies
(adj., adv.) – solemn,
solemnly
(n.) |Pl. | – instrument,
facility; intermediary
(n.) – adulthood
(adj.) – humanitarian
[ ‘humanities’]
(adj.) – exact
(n.) – hospital
(n.) – Military
college
(n.) – independence
(n.) – specialty
(n.) – library
– library with
computers
(n.) –
electronic library
(n.) – student
(adj.) – short–term
– armed forces
(n.) – Armed Forces
(n.) – sports ground
(n.) – the training
ground for tactics
(n.) – defense
(n.) – musicians
(adj.) – sports
competitions
(n.) – show, performance
(n.) – museum
(n.) – dining– room
(n.) – car park
(n.) - lieutenant colonel
(n.) – oath
(n.) – soldier
(n.) – computer
classrooms
(v.) – to train, to teach
(v.) – to be created
(n.) – hall
– lecture hall
(n.) – a graduator
(n) – dormitory
(n.) – bathroom
(n.) – war
(adj.) – social
(n.) – shooting range
(adj.) – four–storied
building
(adj.) – personal
(n.) – meeting hall
33

EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
a) O
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
34

[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2.
. [/]
3.
[/]
4.
[/]
5.
[/]
/
(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1.
____________
-
.
2.
__________
3.
(
4.
5.
. (
35

36
CHAPTER 8
’S
-
:
1.
-

-
2. -
3.
1
(Text taken from , “
,” in
, (), 330-332)
(n) - children
, (n)- teaching
/learning materials
– help, assistance
(n) - madrasa, religious
educational center
(n.) – education
(n) - mosque
institute, institution
1
37

(n.) – adaptation, agreement,
reconciliation
, experience
(v) – to learn, to
embrace
(n.) – settlement, disposition
(n) - expel, remove
government
EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
b)
c)
b)
b)
b)
b)
38

(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2.
[/]
3.
[/]
4.
[/]
5.
[/]
/
(Complete the
following sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in
parenthesis.)
1. ____________.
/)
2.
____________. / )
39

3.
_______________.
(/)
4.
_____/)
5. _______________
. (
/)
40

CHAPTER 9: ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
Co
. ,
.
.
,
(Text taken from the newspaper , June 19, 2012)
41

(n.) – tax
(n.) – measurement, degree
(adj.) – preeminent
(prep.) – without
(n.) – import
(n.) – state
(n.) – help, assistance
(adj.) – concerning, relevant
(v.) – to mention
(v.) – to continue
(n.) – science
(v.) – to satisfy
(n.) – country
(n.) – Supreme
Assembly (parliament)
(adj.) – subsequent,
following, further;
– further development of the
culture
(n.) – goods
(n.) – list, index, directory
(n.) – future
(n.) – message, speech
(n.) – payment
(adj., adv.) – whole, full; wholly
42

–
economic and social development
(n.) – side
(n.) – test, examination
(n.) – leader
(n.) – investment
(v.) – share
– last year
(n.) – structure;
– state structure
(n.) |Pl. | –
businessman, proprietor, entrepreneur
(n.) – entrepreneurship
(adj.) – useful
task, to assign
(n.) – measure, decision
(n.) – equipment
(v.) – to provide
(n). – space, atmosphere
(n). – activity
(n.) – lever; cartridge
(n.) – retail
(n.) – attract
– favorable
conditions
giving, assuring
EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
43

(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
o
2. .
3. ,
4.
5.
44

(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1. _______________
()
2.
_____________
)
3.
____________
4.
____________
5. ____________
(/
45

1
–
–
)
1
‘it must be emphasized’ is an impersonal construction. The main verbs in
this type of Tajik impersonal constructions always remain in the past stem form. The common
impersonal constructions in this category are (a) + past stem stem ‘one must/one has to . . .’
(b) + past stem stem ‘one can . . .’ (c) + past stem stem ‘one can/may . . .’/’it
is possible to . . .’ (d) + past stem stem ‘one could [have]/it was possible to. . .’ For more
see, in John R. Perry, A Tajik Persian Reference Grammar (Leiden, Boston: Brill Academic
Publishers: 2005), 330-44.
46

.
(Text taken from the newspaper , August 04, 2011)
(Blood pressure measurement) 2
(n.) – artery
(n.) – time, period of time
(n.) – population
(adj.) – high
(adj.) – excess, surplus
(n.) – stress
(adv.) – sometimes, occasionally
(adj.) – a sick person
(n.) – disease
(adj.) – unaware
(adj.)– the rest of people
(adj.) – swollen
(n.) – gland
(adj.) – thick
(n.) – hypertension
(n.) – kidney
2
Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blood_pressure_measurement_(2009).jpg
47

(n.) – heart
(n.) – doctor
(adj.) – many
(n.) – case
(n.) – brain
(n.) – advice
(n.) – issue, problem
(n.) – level
(n.) – elements, ferment
(adj.) – appropriate
(adj.) – usual, normal
(adj.) – regular, systematic,
in order
(v.) – to help, to
assist
(n.) – supervision, check
(n.) – weather
(n.) – information, notice,
(v.) – to desist, to
refrain
(n)– reason
(adj.) – low
(n.) – spirit, psyche, mind,
intellect
(n.) – vein, artery
(n.) – blood vessels
(v.) – to respect, to
observe, to keep, to follow
(n.) – stroke
(Russian: ) (n.)
–heart attack
Russian: –
stroke
– to dispense
with, to relinquish, to forgo
(n.) – cigarette
(n.) – treatment
(adj.) – changing,
changeable, variable
(adv.) – repeatedly
(adj.) – narrow
(n.) – composition, structure,
synthesis
steady, staunch
(adj.) – high blood
pressure
(n.) – percent
(n.) – interval
(adj.) – dangerous
(adj.) – danger
(n.) – blood
(n.) – excitement, agitation
(n.) – condition
(adj.) – serious
– many times
48

EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
1. “”
a) 50 %
b) 40%
c) 20%
)
)
)
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
49

[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2.
[/]
3.
[/]
4. [/]
5.
[/]
(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1. ,
().
2. , _______________
( /
3.
____________().
4.
5.
50

?
, 30
, .
30- ,
«
.
–
30 –
1
,
1
‘if you do not work somewhere’ is a conditional
sentence.
51

2 .
3
(Text taken from the newspaper , June, 20, 2012)
4
2
Past subjunctive (must have gotten/received).
3
and the Struggle over National Identities” in Transformation of Tajikistan: The Sources of Statehood
4
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%A1%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B1%D0%BD%
-
D%D0%B8%D1%8F_(%D0%9D%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8B,
_%D0%93%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B0%D1%80).JPG
52

(adv.) – already
(n.) – bride
(v.) – to get nervous
(n.) – surroundings, sides
– relatives and
neighbors
(adj.) – wonderful
(v.) – to marry
(adj./adv.) – early
(n.) – superiority
(n.) – fate, luck
(v.) – to compel, to force
(n.) – alarm, fear, panic
(adv.) – presently, immediately,
at once
(n.) – groom
(n.) – smart
(n.) – marriage
(v.) – to make a
choice
(v.) – to decide, to make up
one’s mind
(adj.) – positive
(v.) – to pay attention
– to relax, to be
relieved
(n.) – old unmarried girl,
spinster
(n.) – search
(v.) – agree
(v.) – agree
(v.) – to keep
(n.) – age
(adj.) – healthy
(v.) – to give a birth
(n.) – according to statistics
(n.) – child
(n.) – festival, wedding
a (v.) – suppose
(n.) – child
(adj.) – erudite
(n.) – literal meaning buyer, but
it simply means suitor in this context.
(n.) – relatives
(v.) – to want
(n.) – suitor
(adj.) – happy, lucky
(n.) – family life
(n.) – neighbor
(n.) – side
(adj.) – dejected, disappointed
with life
(n.) – search
53

EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
30
35
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
54

[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2. . [/]
3.
[/]
4.
[/]
5.
[/]
/
(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1.
30 _______. (
)
2.
_______
3. _______
)
4.
5. ,
55

.
1
2
1
is used as an emphatic, meaning perceptibly, with comparative adjectives and adverbs.
For example,
.
2
56

-
)
3
(Texts taken from newspaper February 11, 2011)
(Tajik students celebrating Navruz) 4
(adj.) – dear
(n.) – tradition
– thanks to, by virtue of
(n.) |Pl. | – farmer
(n.) – shift; bundle
– for, for the sake of, in the
interest of
(adj.) || – foreign,
alien
(v.) – to oblige, to force
(adj.) – aggressor
(n.) – thought, opinion;
suspicion
, – it is thought that
(n.) – in the period of
(adj.) – love of beauty,
aestheticism
(n.) – life
3
lamic
Period,” Encyclopædia Iranica, online edition, 2016, available at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/nowruz-i
(accessed on 19 May 2016)
4
https://commons.wikimedia.
-
57

(v.) |(
wipe, to clean, to remove
a (v.) – to celebrate
(n.) – conquest, ascendency,
domination
(n.) |Pl. | –
farmer
(v.) – to become
forbidden
(n). – people
(adj.) – holy, sacred
(adj.) – splendid, luxurious,
extravagant
(n.) – environment
(n.) – Nowruz holiday
(adj.) – elegance, delicateness,
(adj.) – good, glorious
(n.) – non–existence
(n.) – ancestors
(adj.) || –
envious, hateful
(n.) – world, universal
, (n.) – Aryan
(adj.) – former, previous
(adj.) – shining, glittering,
bright
(n.) – life; time, period
(n.) – Samanid
Sultanate
(adj.) – true
(adj.) – respected,
honorable
(v.) – to glorify, to
honor
(adj.) – history
(adj.) – cleanliness, purity,
tidiness
(adj.) – long
(adj.) – general, public
(n.) |Pl. | – myth, legend
(n.) – happy, prosperous
(adj.) – contrary, opposite
(n.) – memory
(adj., adv.) – fortunately
(v.) – to guide, to
instruct
(v.) – to rule
(n.) – congregation
(v.) – to celebrate
(n.) – spirit, courage
– it refers to the
Tajikistan National University campus
and the surrounding area
(adj.) – sweet
(n.) – grandeur, splendor
58

EXERCISES
. (Choose the correct answer.)
a) 1924
b) 1978
c) 1991
a) 5000
b) 2700
c) 2000
(Match the
synonyms in the following table.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
59

[
] – ? (Choose [] for the true
statements and [] for the false.)
1.
[/]
2.
[/]
3.
[/]
4.
[/]
5.
. [/]
/
(Complete the following
sentences with the appropriate word/form of the verbs in parenthesis.)
1. _____________.
(/
2.
).
3.
(/)
4.
)
5.
___________
60

61

CHAPTER 1: The SAMANID SATE STRUCTURE
c, 4. b, 5. a
1.
-
5.
, 2. , 3. , 4.
, 5.
, 2. , 3.
4.
62

4.
1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
4.
2.
4.
, 4.
63

, 3. b, 4. a, 5. b
3.
4.
3.
1. 1.
2. 3.
3. 4.
4. 1.
5. 2.
, 2. 3.
4.
5.
CHAPTER 9: ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
4.
1.
2.
, 5.
64

3.
, 5.
1.
, 2.
3.
, 3. , 4. ,
65

66

(n.) – father of
– to stop working
(prep.) – according to, on account
of
the task of, to be able (to do), to succeed
(in a work)
(adj.) – dear
(adv.) – already
.) – activities , operation
(n.) – chief of the
[lit. – chief, great man; –
country]
(n.) – tax
(n.) – size, measurement, degree
(n.) – tradition
(n.) – eve, period before an event;
ninth day of the arabic month zul hijja
– prominent person, notable
(n.) – artery
(n.) – bride
(v.) – to get nervous
(n.) || – work of art,
monument, composition (of writers)
(n.) – time, period of time
.) – captivity
.) – founder
(n.) – surroundings, sides
– relatives and
neighbors
(n) - children
(adj.) – preeminent
– population growth
(n.) – population
(adj.) – wonderful
– raw materials
(n.) – an awardee
tajikistan
.) – to die, to
expire
(v.) – to marry
– thanks to, by virtue of
(adj.) – high
(adj./adv.) – early
(n.) |pl. | – farmer
(adj.) – excess, surplus
v.) – to take out
(n.) – superiority
(n.) – shift; bundle
(n.) – fate, luck
(n.) – stress
(n.) – sea
– for, for the sake of, in the
interest of
67

(adv.) – sometimes, occasionally
(prep.) – without
(adj.) – direct
(adj.) || – foreign, alien
.) – unemployed
(adj.) – a sick person
(n.) – disease
(adj.) – unaware
(n.) – building for
studies
.) – revival, restoration
(v.) – to remain, to be left
(adj.)– the rest of
(n.) – cushion, pillow
(adj., adv.) – solemn,
solemnly
– sleeping/reclining
buddha
(n.) – cholera
.) – to destroy, to
break, to ruin
(n.) – endowment
(adj.) – swollen
(n)- teaching /learning
materials
(v.) – to depend on, to be
connected with
.) – to pass, to transmit
(n.) – valley
(v.) – to compel, to force
(v.) – to oblige, to force
.) – event
(n.) – import
(n.) |pl. | – instrument,
facility; intermediary
(n.) – alarm, fear, panic
(n.) – adulthood
(n.) – gland
(adj.) – thick
(n.) – hypertension
(adj.) – aggressor
(adj.) – civil (a Russian
loanword for
(n.) – quarter, ward, neighborhood
– tanners’ quarter
– with the passage of
days
(n.) – slavery, system of
slave owning
– selling of slaves, slave
trade
(adj.) – humanitarian
[ ‘humanities’]
(n.) – thought, opinion; suspicion
, – it is thought that
(n.) – kidney
68

(n.) – state
– continuation, endurance,
persistence
(adj.) – exact
() – at (some)
disposal
(n.) – door
– on the eve of
(n.) – in the period of
– on the scale of
.) – (royal) court
(n.) – hospital
(adv.) – presently, immediately,
at once
(n.) – help, assistance
.) – apparatus
(adj.) – concerning, relevant
(v.) – to intervene
.) – government department,
chancery
– democratization
– attention
(n.) – heart
(also written as
) (n.) – trade, trading
relations, barter
(n.) – groom
(n.) – military
college
(n.) – smart
(n.) – teacher
training institute
(n.) – greeting
(adj.) – rough, coarse
(n.) – doctor
(v.) – to come across, to
be met with
.) – conquer
(n.) – occupy of
central asia
(adj.) – love of beauty,
aestheticism
(adj.) – many
(v.) – to mention
(n.) – life
(v.) |(
wipe, to clean, to remove
– son of
a (v.) – to celebrate
(v.) – to continue
(v.) – to manage
(n.) – marriage
69

.) –
(adj.) – economic
.) – economic
(n.) – science
(n.) – boarding school
(v.) – to make a
choice
–
(n.) – independence
(n.) – conquest, ascendency,
domination
(n.) – union of
writers
– honorary
.) – will,
(n.) – specialty
.) – public, social
(v.) – to occupy
(adj.) – blue; green (as in
‘green tea’)
(adv.) – long ago, since long
– very long ago, already long
ago
(n.) – engraving, carving
(n.) – library
– library with
computers
(n.) – electronic
library
(n.) |pl. | – farmer
enterprises, factories
– creative works
(n.)– serf
.) – children
(n.) – street, quarter
(n.) – student
(adj.) – short–term
(adj.) – counterfeit, fraud
(v.) – to decide, to make up
one’s mind
(n.) – curve, crease, fold
(n.) – part
.) – judge
/ (n.) – mold, cast
(v.) – to satisfy
(n.) – caravan
(n.) – leader (literal:
leader of a caravan)
– armed forces
(n.) – armed forces
.) – army, troops
70

(adj.) – gifted
(n.) – cloth
(n.) – clay
(adj.) – bare, naked
–
(n.) – position; place, location
(n.) – case
(n.) – wave
(adj.) – wavy, wave – like
.) – madrasah, religious
school
(n.) – joke; comedy
(n.) – sports ground
(n.) – the training
ground (for tactics)
(n.) – brain
(n.) – country
.) – rank, position
(v.) – to become forbidden
(n.) – education
(n). – people
.) – center
(n.) – advice
(adj.) – joyful, delighted
(n) - mosque
(n.) – issue, problem
.) – press
(adj.) – fascinated, charmed,
enchanted
(n.) – “black room”
– lose, be deprived (of)
(n.) – meeting hall
(n.) – supreme assembly
(parliament)
(n.) – collection, series
(adj.) – administrative
(n.) – administration
.)
.) – kind
(n.) – level
(adj.) – subsequent,
following, further;
– further development of the culture
.) – area, region
(n.) – elements, ferment
(n.) – goods
institute, foundation,
institution
struggle
(adj.) – appropriate
(n.) – defense
(v.) – to interfere
71

(n.) – hair (of head)
(adj.) – usual, normal
(adj.) – holy, sacred
(n.) – name of a river in bokhara
(n.) – property; country, state
– cleric
(adj.) – regular, systematic, in
order
(pl. of –
correspondence
– with the passage of
time
(adj.) – positive
(n.) – musicians
(adj.) – sports
competitions
(v.) – to promote,
taking initiative
(v.) – to help, to assist
(n.) – treasurer
(adj.) – independent
(n.) – colony, settlement
(v.) – to pay
attention
.) – appropriate
(adj.) – splendid, luxurious,
extravagant
(n.) – environment
(n.) –
police
– to be in need of
smth
.) –
(n.) – inspector
(adj.) – newborn
.) – pampering, coddling,
caress, kindness
(n.) – nowruz holiday
(adj.) – elegance, delicateness,
(n.) – supervision, control
(n.) – show, performance
(n.) – appearance, view
– to relax, to be
relieved
(n) - publication
(adj.) – good, glorious
(n.) – non-existence
(n.) – ancestors
(n.) – nirvana
(adj.) – shoddy, of poor
quality
(n.) – list, index, directory
– dissatisfaction, disagreement
72

(adj.) || –
envious, hateful
(n.) – weather
(n.) – information, notice,
– adam of poets
(n.) – world, universal
(adj.) – universal, spread
throughout the world
(n)– reason
(n.) – the river oxus
, (n.) – aryan
(n.) – museum
(n.) – dining– room
(n.) – future
(n.) – message, speech
(n.) – payment
(n.) – car park
(n.) – silk
(adj.) – low
(n.) – side
(n., russian loanword) – play
.) – craftsman
(adj.) – former, previous
(n.) – old unmarried girl,
spinster
(n.) - lieutenant colonel
/ (n.) – footwear
.) – mail,
(v.) – to strengthen
(adj.) – complete
(adj., adv.) – whole, full; wholly
(n.) – search
(adj.) – shining, glittering,
bright
(n.) – spirit, psyche, mind,
intellect
(n.) – vein, artery
(n.) – blood vessels
(n.) – sand, gravel,
– public square near citadel in
samarqand and bukhara
(v.) – to respect, to observe,
to keep, to follow
(v.) – agree
(v.) – agree
(v.) – to stand straight
(n.) – life; time, period
–
economic and social development
.) – reason
(adj.) – light
(n.) – oath
(n.) – stroke
73

(russian: ) (n.) –
heart attack
russian: – stroke
.) – reign
(n.) – samanid
sultanate
(n.) – side
(n.) – test, examination
(n.) – art
(n.) – soldier
(n.) – cypress-tree
(n.) – leader
resources
.) – leader
(n.) – investment
(n.) – capitalism
– to dispense with,
to relinquish, to forgo
(v.) – to keep
(adj.) – true
(v.) – share
(n.) – cigarette
.) – policy, politics
(adj.) – political
(adj.) – black
(n.) – series
(n.) – age
(n.) – computer
classrooms
(n.) – adaptation, agreement,
reconciliation
– last year
(adj.) – healthy
(n.) – leader
(n.) – structure;
– state structure
(n.) |pl. | –
businessman, proprietor, entrepreneur
(n.) – entrepreneurship
(adj.) – fortunate, lucky,
invincible hero (a title usually given to
mighty sultans and kings)
(n.) – chief of the postal
department, postmaster
(n.) – captain of the
guard [pl. – police)]
(adj.) – respected,
honorable
(adj.) – useful
– to sign a peace treaty
task, to assign
(n.) – platform
.) – to abuse
(n.) – treatment
74

(v.) – to give a birth
(adj.) – changing,
changeable, variable
(n.) – measure, decision
(v.) – to improve
(adv.) – repeatedly
.) – division
(adj.) – narrow
.) – progress, development
(n.) – upbringing, education,
training
(n.) – composition, structure,
synthesis
.) – scale
(v.) – to imagine
(n.) – strap, belt
(n.) – a pen name, a nom de
plume
(v.) – to glorify, to
honor
, experience
(n.) – equipment
(v.) – to be appointed
(v.) – to train, to teach
(v.) – to provide
(n.) – supply
(adj.) – history
(v.) – to be created
– theater for
musical comedy
(n.) – according to statistics
(n.) – child
(adj.) – cleanliness, purity,
tidiness
(n.) – niche
.) – pupil, student
(n.) – hall
– lecture hall
(adv.) – steadily, continuously
(n.) – festival, wedding
(adj.) – long
(n.) – storm
(n.) – ocean
(adj.) – general, public
(n.) – title
staunch
(n.) |pl. | – myth, legend
.) – method
(n). – space, atmosphere
a (v.) – suppose
(n.) – child
.) – commander
75

(v) – to learn, to
embrace
(n.) – happy, prosperous
.) – to work
(n). – activity
(adv.) – actively
.) – run away, escape
(n.) – lever; cartridge
(adj.) – high blood
pressure
(adj.) – erudite
(n.) – percent
(adj.) – pleasant, pleasing, genial
(n.) – interval
.) – tragic
– front
(adj.) – dangerous
(n.) – treasury
(n.) – people
(n.) – literal meaning buyer, but
it simply means suitor in this context.
(adj.) – danger
– delivering mail
(n.) – a graduator
(n.) – relatives
.) – service
(adj.) – contrary, opposite
.) – caliphate
(n.) – a gray horse
(n) – dormitory
(n.) – khanate
(v.) – to want
(n.) – suitor
(n.) – memory
(v.) – to desist, to
refrain
(n.) – blood
(adj.) – happy, lucky
(adj., adv.) – fortunately
(n.) – family life
(n.) – statue
(n.) – art of sculpture,
sculpting
– statues of buddha
(n.) – settlement, disposition
(n.) – bathroom
(n.) – neighbor
(v.) – to aspire
(n.) – war, battle [adj. ]
– military-civil
(n.) – excitement, agitation
(v.) – to guide, to
instruct
– democratic party
76

– islamic revival
party
– new political
parties
(n.) – condition
(n) - expel, remove
.) – chamberlain
(n.) – boundary, limit, border
(v.) – to rule
government
.) – artist
(n.) – the river Oxus (or river
Bactrus)
(n.) – retail
(n.) – attract
.) – society
(adj.) – social
(n.) – congregation
.) – war
(n.) – tanner, a person whose
work is tanning hides
.) – world view, outlook
(v.) – to celebrate
(adv.) – as
(adj.) – serious
(n.) – side
(adj.) – everlasting, perpetual
(n.) – shooting range
(adj.) – dejected, disappointed
with life
.) – to implement
(adj.) – four–storied building
.) – espionage
(n.) – wood
(n.) – search
(adj.) – fascinated, charmed,
infatuated
.) – conditions, environment
– favorable conditions
(adj.) – personal
(n.) – spirit, courage
.) – city
– it refers to the
Tajikistan national university campus
and the surrounding area
. ) – civil
– citizen
.) – power, force, intensity
.) – motto, slogan
(adj.) – sweet
77

.) – poet
(n.) – grandeur, splendor
.) – revolt
(n.)
– faithful
giving, assuring
– many times
78

Tajik Persian: Readings in History, Culture and Society
Tajik at advanced level through authentic texts written
for native speakers and provides them glimpses into
the history, culture and society of Tajikistan without
losing its focus on cultural aspects of the country—an
aspect that constitutes a core component in the second
language acquisition. The book can be adopted by
instructors as a supplementary or the main textbook
for advanced-level courses.
Razi Ahmad, PhD, is a lecturer at the University of
Kansas, Lawrence, where he currently teaches Persian
and cultures.
© 2016 Razi Ahmad
ISBN: 978-1-936153-10-7
The University of Kansas Libraries
Lawrence, KS 66045
79