Accelerated Persian: A Course in the Persian Language and Its Culture

Accelerated Persian aims to make the language of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan accessible to everyone wishing to communicate through the language and culture of the Persian speaking world.It is a comprehensive textbook featuring numerous exercises and speaking drills complemented by clear and concise explanations of Persian grammar. Detailed verb conjugation charts and thematic glossaries allow for easy language learning. Various aspects of Persian culture and history are introduced through idioms, proverbs, and cultural and historical references. Because Persian shares its alphabet with Arabic, exercises are included for those who already read Arabic. Reference tools include verb conjugation charts, Persian-English-Arabic glossary/dictionary, Persian-English-French glossary/dictionary, and an introduction to the colloquial language.Accelerated Persian will expose the learner to the richness of Persian history and culture. Students will explore the biography and works of important historical, political and literary figures such as Cyrus, Hafez, Mossadeq, and the novelists Hedayat and Milani, and will produce short spoken and written reports. Each lesson begins with selections from the rich trove of Persian proverbs relating to the chapter’s themes. Throughout the book, highlights of Persian culture such as the Persian New Year holiday (Nowruz), music and art are introduced to connect the language with the culture.Visual learning is an essential tool for successfully mastering any language. Artist Hampton Stall has created original illustrations for each chapter to support the lesson’s focus. These culminate in numerous interactive exercises in which students draw on their own experiences. They then present their drawings in Persian to their peers, using creativity to expand their language skills. The over 250 interactive illustrations make this the first Persian book of its kind.Persian is the official language of Iran and Tajikistan, where it is referred to as Tajiki. It is also spoken in Afghanistan, where it is called Dari.