January 25, 2010

Local Varieties of English: Isfahani Version

I once read an article about local varieties of English, that some nations develop their version of English, incorporating some of their grammar and/or syntax elements into it. The most common type of localizing English, however, should be expected in dialects, such as the manufacturer of this danger sign who adapted the pronunciation of Danger to Isfahani dialect.

Note: In the original dialect of Isfahan, ‘e’ usually replaces ‘a.’

January 24, 2010

Province of Jurist


By ‘Province of Jurist,’ the author has certainly meant Velayat Faghih, i.e. the fundamental principle of Islamic Republic of Iran’s political structure that reserves final word in almost all cases for the Supreme Leader, a notable clergyman. Velayate Faghih roughly translates into: premiership of the knowledgeable clergyman.

My diagnosis: The author opens Babylon Dictionary, searches the Persian term Velayat in it, and finds only one English equivalent for it: Province. (Note that Velayat in Persian means both premiership and residence.) He (she?) again searches the Persian term Faghih and finds Jurist for it. Period.