Modern Persian Colloquial Grammar

The "Modern Persian Colloquial Grammar" is a translation and revision of my "Neupersischer Sprachfuhrer" published at Leipzig by C. A. KOCH in 1890. Its object is to assist the student in learning the language now spoken in Persia. The Persian Grammars hitherto written in English have, like FORBES' Grammar and CLARKE'S Manual, dealt with the Persian of India, which differs in every respect from the language of Iran. A few English books, it is true, such as FINN'S little vocabulary, HAGGARD and LESTRANGE'S able edition of the VAZIR of LANKURAN and WOLLASTON'S excellent dictionaries, have dealt with the Persian of Modern Persia, but I think that a work containing a grammar, dialogues and various specimens of colloquial prose together with some information regarding journeys and life in Persia will be found useful to all travellers and residents in that country as well as in Baluchistan and Afghanistan. The principal additions to the German edition are the introduction throughout the book of the Persian type along with the Latin transcription. This will enable the student to acquire the rudiments of reading as well as of speaking. Further-more an alphabetic vocabulary has been substituted for the tabulated collection of useful words contained in the German edition. Since publishing the "Neupersischer Sprachfiihrer" a residence of six years in PERSIA has enabled me to make many corrections and ampliflcations. The English translation of the diary of Nasir-Eddin SHAH'S journeys to Europe has been taken from Mr. REDHOUSE's "The Diary of H. M. the Shah of Persia during his Tour through Europe in A. D. 1873. Lon. don, 1874". I bave much pleasure in thanking Prof. E. DENISON Ross, of University College, London, for the kind assistance he has lent me by reading a great part of the proofsheets while I was in Persia. Teheran, April 1897 The Author.