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Writer's pictureZia Khoshsirat

/bəɣ/ 'goddess': The only attestation in Gilaki

Gilaki songs and stories are rich as Caspian Hyrcanian Forests. As you step in these forests, you see yourself immersed in the arms of the universe, you feel ancient loves in your heart, and you step on the same ground where my ancestors walked for hundreds of years. When I listen to or sing Gilaki songs, specially folk ones, I close my eyes and imagine myself in front of my ancestors, who preserved this beautiful language in many forms for Caspian people and Gilaks (in Gorgan, Mazandaran, Shahmirz, Shahroud, Gilan, Alamout, Taleqan, northern mountain range of Tehran).

In one of the folk songs I found an old word which I have never seen and heard in Gilaki: baq 'goddess' or as it is pronounced by the Gilaki speaker /bəɣ/.

اقه لاکؤ نؤم چي بۊ شٚغ زاده بٚغ زاده

aɣæ läku nõm ʧi bu ʃəɣzädə bəɣzädə


What was that man's daughter name? princesses, daughter of goddess


Another point is a sound change: /h/ ---> /ɣ (widely attested in Gilaki). ʃəɣ in many Iranian languages is pronounced as /ʃah/ but here in Gilaki /h/ changes to /ɣ/.




My work
Gilanian Goddess (copyright)

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