Classification of Iranian Languages

Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, and are spoken by various people spread throughout the territories of Iran, Afghanistan, former Soviet Central Asia, Pakistan, Indian, Iraq and Trans-Caucasia. Modern Persian, which has developed out of Middle Persian, is a Southwestern Iranian language. Middle Persian in turn had developed out of Old Persian dating as far back as the sixth to the third centuries B.C.

The ancient Iranian languages are often divided into two large groups on the basis of grammatical features and historical developments: Western and Eastern. The Western group consisted of Old Persian, Gathic Avestan and Median, while the Eastern group included Scythian and Younger Avestan.

By the time of Middle Persian (3rd centruy B.C. - 9th centruy A.D.), two branches are emerging in the Western group, the Southwestern branch including Middle Persian and the Northwestern branch consisting of Parthian. Modern Persian (9th century to present time)and Luri, Bakhtiari and Khunsari are some of the descendants of Middle Persian. The Northwestern languages, which are much more numerous, are assumed to be descendants of Parthian. Baluchi, Kurdish, the Caspian langauges (Guilaki, Mazandarani, Taleshy), and the Central Plateau languages are some of the language groups in this category. The speakers of these langauges are mainly spread throughout Iran.

In the Eastern group of Iranian languages, the currently spoken languages of Pushto (in Afghanistan), Yidgha, Munji, and the Pamiri languages (Wakhi, Xikzik, Yazqulami, Ishkashim, Shugni Rushani) are some of the Eastern languages, assumed to be descendants of Younger Avestan.