The Academy of Persian Language: Ups and Downs

The Academy of Persian Language and Literature has been working for over 80 years to produce vocabulary and refine the Persian language against foreign languages since its establishment in 1935 under the presidency of the renowned scholar Mohammad Ali Foroughi, until the current Academy, managed by Gholamali Haddad Adel. However, apart from the first period, which ended in 1968, the Academy's failures have often overshadowed its successes. Recently, the latest series of vocabulary from this Academy was published in the months of Mehr and Aban, but as usual, it was released in silence. In this regard, I invited Dariush Ashouri, a linguist, writer, and translator, to come to the book review program to discuss these questions and others. In the program, Ashouri discusses the main responsibilities of the Academy since its inception, including the acceptance and rejection of words and terms, the refinement of the Persian language, and the importance of expanding the vocabulary and creating new words. He highlights that since the mid-19th century, Iran has faced a crisis in its traditional structures due to modern civilization, which has significantly impacted the language and terminology. Ashouri reflects on the public's negative perception of the Academy, attributing it to the general discontent with the government and regime, which leads to the rejection of any institution associated with it. He compares the first Academy's approach with the subsequent ones, noting that while the first Academy was influenced by a nationalist ideology, the second was more radical in its attempts to create a pure Persian language. Despite some successes, the later Academies have struggled to gain acceptance for their proposals, with Ashouri emphasizing the need for a scientific community to adopt and normalize new vocabulary. He concludes that the acceptance of new words is both an art and a science, requiring public familiarity and adaptation.