Persian has three major standard varieties: Iranian Persian (Farsi), Dari Persian of Afghanistan, and Tajik Persian of Tajikistan, all of which are mutually intelligible. Over 100 million people speak Persian as either a first or second language. The language has developed through Old Persian, used in Achaemenid inscriptions, Middle Persian, and Modern Persian. It is…
Tag: Afghanistan
Fun Fact: Last King of Afghanistan
Mohammed Zahir Shah was the last king of Afghanistan, serving a very long time with his reign ending in 1973. He was exiled for many decades, but he was eventually welcomed back to Afghanistan. There were talks about making him a king again, but the United States influenced the government enough to prevent that from…
Fun Fact: When Afghanistan Had Religious Diversity
While being Muslim is mandatory now in Afghanistan, the country used to be a hub for Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism.
Fun Fact: Alternative Names For The Afghan Hound
The native word for Afghan hounds are Sag-e Tāzī. But other alternative names for the breed are Tāzī, Balkh Hound, Baluchi Hound, and Barakzai Hound.
Fun Fact: How The Afghan Coat Became Internationally Popular
Afghan coats became popular in the 1st World in the 1960s with one particular businessman selling them to hippie shops. They boomed in popularity after the Beatles started wearing them in public.