Azari language

Azari language may refer to:

Old Azeri language

Old Azeri, also known as Azeri or Azari (Persian: آذری‎‎ Āḏarī [ɑːzæri], also spelled Adari, Adhari), was the extinct Iranian language once spoken in Iranian Azerbaijan and what is now the Republic of Azerbaijan. Some linguists believe the southern Tati dialects of Iranian Azerbaijan such as those around Khalkhal, Harzand and Keringan to be remnants of Azari. In addition, Old Azari is known to have strong affinities with Talysh.

Azari was the dominant language in Azerbaijan before it was replaced by a Turkic language, also known as the Azeri (or Azerbaijani) language.

Initial studying

The first scholar who discovered Azeri language, is Ahmad Kasravi. He used Arabic, Persian and Greek historical sources to prove that people of Azerbaijan used to speak a language of Iranian family called 'Azari' before they spoke the Turkic language now called Azeri. This discovery lead him to conclude that people of Azarbaijan were Iranian who were assimilated by Turkic invaders.

Linguistic affiliation