Gilaki

The Gilaki ( گیلکی in Persan, also called Gelaki, Gilani, Guilaki, Guilani) is a Iranian language the North-West spoken in the province about the Gilan in Iran. Gilaki can be divided into three dialects: Western Gilaki, Eastern Gilaki, and Gilaki Tabari. The Gilaki language is closely related to the Mazandarani and the two languages have similar vocabularies. The Western and Eastern dialects are separated by the river called Sefid Roud. According to Ethnologue.com, there was more than 3,6 million speakers of Gilaki in 1993.

Example for possessive the name-name in Western Gilaki: məhin zakan (children of Mæhin) ( Bæče-ha-ye Persan Mæhin in ), Baγi gulan (flowers of the garden) ( Gol-ha-ye Persan Baγ in )). In gilaki Eastern: Xirsi Kuti (animal bear) ( Bæč-e Xers in Persan)).

Example for the modification of the adjectives: Western Gilaki: plundered-yi zakan (large child), Surx gul (red flower). Eastern Gilaki: Sərd aw (cool water) ( ɑb-e særd into Persan), kul čaqu (sharpened knife) ( čaqu-ye Tiz into Persan).

However, it is thought that Gilaki is strongly influenced by the Persan in its structure, and the majority of the Gilakis speakers speak also the Persan like second language. The Encyclopedia Iranica note:

The Iranian dialects spoken along the littoral about the Caspienne are the Taleshi, the Gilaki, the Mazandarani and their dialects, as well as the extinct language of Tabarestan. (p.61)

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