Explication of the Structure of Simple Persian Verbs and Their Governing Principles, With an Emphasis on Root Types and Morpheme Formation; A Linguistic Perspective [In Persian]

Khosravi Dastgerdi, Zahra; Naseri Karimvand , Ali

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Khosravi Dastgerdi Z, Naseri Karimvand A. (2025). Explication of the Structure of Simple Persian Verbs and Their Governing Principles, With an Emphasis on Root Types and Morpheme Formation; A Linguistic Perspective [In Persian]. JSAL. 8(1), 79-118.
URL: http://jsal.ierf.ir/article-1-163-en.html

Explication of the Structure of Simple Persian Verbs and Their Governing Principles, With an Emphasis on Root Types and Morpheme Formation; A Linguistic Perspective [In Persian]

Zahra Khosravi Dastgerdi ^*

¹, Ali Naseri Karimvand²

1- Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran , khosravi.ph@gmail.com
2- MA, General Linguistics, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran

Abstract: (589 Views)

The verb represents the most fundamental element across all global languages (a universal linguistic feature). Verbs occupy a central role within the framework of grammatical concordance (agreement between verb and subject). Language, as a dynamic social construct, generates an unlimited array of sentences for communication using a finite set of phonemes, linguistic symbols, and syntactic rules. While maintaining its communicative efficacy, language reshapes linguistic constructs in alignment with the principle of least effort, modifying the phonological-syllabic composition of words (alterations in vowel quality and duration, consonant harmony or disharmony, and the implementation of comprehensive phonological processes) to enhance articulatory ease. Such transformations occasionally introduce ambiguities in the precise identification of linguistic construct components (here, verbs). Nevertheless, it is unreasonable to resolve this superficial issue by positing numerous past-tense morphemes (ranging from 8 to 10). The researchers maintain that only a single past-tense morpheme (t/d) exists, which undergoes modifications due to its sequential interaction with adjacent phonemes. This analysis investigates these alterations and their scientific underpinnings. This study aims to ascertain the past-tense morpheme in ostensibly simple Persian verbs, elucidate the emergence of multiple past-tense morphemes, and clarify the varieties of roots in simple verbs. Essentially, this research responds to the following inquiries: What constitutes the past-tense morpheme in Persian? Why is the notion of multiple past-tense morphemes scientifically untenable? Can phonological processes explain the variations in past-tense roots and stems, thereby negating the need to propose diverse past-tense morphemes? How are Persian past-tense morphemes—such as {ت (kusht), د (gostard), آد (istād), ید (kharid), ِست, یست (negarest, negārist), ُفت (paziroft), …}—interpreted and analyzed? What is the composition of so-called derived verbs? Are the past and present stems of a verb derived from a unified root? The findings, derived through a descriptive-analytical approach utilizing documentary evidence and a morphological perspective, delineate the stages of verb formation and underscore the efficacy of specific phonotactic constraints within the verb system. Significantly, the notion of multiple past-tense morphemes lacks linguistic legitimacy when evaluated against principles such as least effort, phoneme co-occurrence restrictions, and phonological processes. The past-tense morpheme is exclusively /t/, a vestige of the Old Persian participial suffix -ta. In modern Persian, verbs categorized as transformational are seldom employed, as native speakers predominantly favor and have embraced the construction of compound verbs derived from the same root.

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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Linguistic research
Received: 2024/11/11 | Accepted: 2025/01/17 | Published: 2025/03/2

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