Meaning of the suffix -aan/N in Urdu words of Farsi origins.
Naseer
It appears that the last Urdu language based thread was some
considerable time ago. So, here is one if you care to take an
interest!:)
There are a variety of situations where the suffix -aan/N in Urdu
words of Persian origins is used. The most obvious is for the (mainly)
animate plural, e.g. zan-aan (women/ladies), mard-aan (men) etc.
However, take a look at the shi'r by Majrooh Sultanpuri which Farah
Sahiba has posted recently.
dahar meN “Majrooh” ko’ii jaavidaaN mazmuuN kahaaN
maiN jise chhuutaa gayaa vo jaavidaaN bantaa gayaa
We know that "jaaved" means "eternal". So what does the -aaN add here.
Similarly "shaad" means "happy". What about "shaadaaN"?
Here is a Faiz shi'r contained in a Ghazal posted by B.G.M Sahib.
yaad-e-Ghazaal chashmaaN, zikr-e-saman `azaaraaN
jab chaahaa kar liya hai, kunj-e-qafas bahaaraaN
"bahaar", we all know is "barkhaa-rut" but what is "bahaaraaN"?
naa-gaah>>>>>>>> naa-gaahaaN
zaahid (Arabic word)>>>>>>>>>> zaahidaan/N (a city in Iran)
There are many many such words, but these few examples will suffice
for the time being. I do have one or two ideas myself but would like
to hear your take on the "added value" of this suffix.
Naseer
Gaurav
Dear Naseer saab,
I have been wondering about this exact question for a long time now!
Thanks so much for bringing it up here.
I used to think it is for making plural (e.g. shabaaN, mardaaN) but in
particular, Faiz saab's ghazal had perplexed me.
I am sorry I am unable to contribute knowledgably on this, but I am
very curious to hear what other learned folks on this group (including
you!) have to say on this.
Thanks,
-Gaurav
Naseer
Gaurav jii aadaab.
aap kaa KHat paRh kar jii KHush ho gayaa hai. lagtaa hai kih is dunyaa
meN mujh jaise awr bhii diivaane haiN!!:)
In the Faiz Ghazal posted by B.G.M Sahib, most of the "-aaN" words are
plurals apart ftom "baaraaN" (rain) and (I believe)"bahaaraaN".
saman-‘azaar-aaN ( jassamine-cheeked ones)
yaar-aaN (friends)
vafaa-shi’aar-aaN (faithful ones)
jigar-figaar-aaN (heart-broken ones.. jin ke kaleje chhalnii hu’e
hoN!)
baadah-KHvaar-aaN/mai-gusaar-aaN ( those fond of drink)
KHush-kanaar-aaN (beloveds)
Let's hope one or two other kind souls join in the discussion and
offer their views on this topic.
Naseer
UVR
>
> > On Dec 11, 5:45 am, Naseer <qures...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> > > yaad-e-Ghazaal chashmaaN, zikr-e-saman `azaaraaN
> > > jab chaahaa kar liya hai, kunj-e-qafas bahaaraaN
>
> > > "bahaar", we all know is "barkhaa-rut" but what is "bahaaraaN"?
>
> In the Faiz Ghazal posted by B.G.M Sahib, most of the "-aaN" words are
> plurals apart ftom "baaraaN" (rain) and (I believe)"bahaaraaN".
>
>
Naseer saahib, aadaab 'arz hai.
I don't have an answer for the actual question(s) you're asking in
this thread. I'm just here to ask YOU a question.
You have asserted, not once but twice in this thread now, that
"bahaar" = "rain". I'm wondering why you think so. I have always
known bahaar to be Spring, aka basant, and its opposite KhizaaN to be
Autumn (or Fall, as they mostly call it this side of the pond), aka
patjhaR. If you would be kind enough to cite precedents of bahaar
being taken to mean the Rains/barkhaa, in prose or in poetry, I'll be
immensely obliged.
-UVR.
Naseer
janaab-i-UVR Sahib, aadaab 'arz hai.
It's a total blunder on my part that I have equated "bahaar" with
"barkhaa-rut". I did mean to write "basant". I can't really expalin
why this has happened but it has. Apologies.
However, I don't think I have said "bahaar" to be rain twice!;)
> > In the Faiz Ghazal posted by B.G.M Sahib, most of the "-aaN" words are
> > plurals apart ftom "baaraaN" (rain) and (I believe)"bahaaraaN".
Perhaps the above is ambiguous but what I am saying is that all the -
aan words in the Faiz Ghazal cited are plurals apart from
"baaraaN" (rain) and "bahaaraaN". I wrote "I believe" because I do not
think that "bahaaraaN"'s "-aan" is the plural suffix.
Naseer
Vijay
>
> - Show quoted text -
I was also intrigued by this. I knew that is was an honest mistake (in
one place and not two:-)) but why would someone like Naseer sahib make
such a mistake? I wondered if the follwoing famous she'r may have
something to do with it:
chalte ho to chaman ko chaliye kehte haiN ke bahaaraaN hai
paat hare haiN phool khile haiN kam kam baad.o.baaraaN hai
Here, 'baharaaN' is closely associated with 'baad-o-baaraaN' and the
she'r is such an important part of the psyche of Urdu poetry lovers
(not only from Miir but also Mehdi Hassan), that a slip like the one
Naseer sahib made, becomes understandable.
Vijay
UVR
>
> janaab-i-UVR Sahib, aadaab 'arz hai.
>
> It's a total blunder on my part that I have equated "bahaar" with
> "barkhaa-rut". I did mean to write "basant". I can't really expalin
> why this has happened but it has. Apologies.
>
> However, I don't think I have said "bahaar" to be rain twice!;)
>
You're right. I misread your second post. Apologies!
> > > In the Faiz Ghazal posted by B.G.M Sahib, most of the "-aaN" words are
> > > plurals apart ftom "baaraaN" (rain) and (I believe)"bahaaraaN".
>
> Perhaps the above is ambiguous but what I am saying is that all the -
> aan words in the Faiz Ghazal cited are plurals apart from
> "baaraaN" (rain) and "bahaaraaN". I wrote "I believe" because I do not
> think that "bahaaraaN"'s "-aan" is the plural suffix.
>
> Naseer
I wonder if the -aan in bahaaraaN is also a plural, but one like
"charaaGhaaN" -- a plural ("lamps"), but which has acquired an
alternate meaning as "the environment created by <plural meaning>".
Please understand that this is mere conjecture, but one that seems to
be borne out by at least charaaGhaaN and bahaaraaN. In the case of
charaaGhaaN we have:
chiraaGh = lamp
chiraaGhaaN = lamps. The environment created by the presence of
lamps, i.e., illumination, the state of being brightly lit, etc.
Likewise,
bahaar = bloom, blossom
bahaaraaN = the environment created by the presence of "blossoms"
What is further interesting is that charaaGhaaN, bahaaraaN etc have
seemingly lost their plural property when used in their 'environment'
meaning. We say "charaaGhaaN *hai*, bahaaraaN *hai*", for example.
-UVR.
B.G.M.
makes sense.
another famous example:
"muddat hu`ii hai, yaar ko mahmaaN kiye hu`e
josh-e-qadah se bazm charaaGaaN kiye hu`e"
(yahaaN bazm ko chiraaG nahiiN-josh-e-qadah- se "lit" yaa "adorn" kee
jaati hai)
===================================================================================
Naseer
Vijay Sahib, aadaab.
Thank you for your psycho-analytical support! Indeed I had the Miir
shi'r in mind because I was hoping to use it to illustrate one of my
points. However, if I am totally honest, as I was in my reply to UVR
Sahib, I just was n't thinking straight. It was as simple as that.
Naseer
Naseer
On Dec 14, 3:07 pm, UVR <u...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> I wonder if the -aan in bahaaraaN is also a plural, but one like
> "charaaGhaaN" -- a plural ("lamps"), but which has acquired an
> alternate meaning as "the environment created by <plural meaning>".
>
> Please understand that this is mere conjecture, but one that seems to
> be borne out by at least charaaGhaaN and bahaaraaN. In the case of
> charaaGhaaN we have:
>
> chiraaGh = lamp
> chiraaGhaaN = lamps. The environment created by the presence of
> lamps, i.e., illumination, the state of being brightly lit, etc.
>
> Likewise,
>
> bahaar = bloom, blossom
> bahaaraaN = the environment created by the presence of "blossoms"
>
> What is further interesting is that charaaGhaaN, bahaaraaN etc have
> seemingly lost their plural property when used in their 'environment'
> meaning. We say "charaaGhaaN *hai*, bahaaraaN *hai*", for example.
I hope that your internet connection is back to normal and you are
able to join your favourite maHfil once again:)
I am in agreement with your analysis of the word "cha/iraaGhaaN". I do
believe it ia simply the plural of "chi/araaGh" and has come to denote
the meaning "illuminated"/"illumination". charaaGhaaN karnaa, to
illuminate.
nigah-i-garm se ik aag Tapaktii hai Asad
hai charaaGhaaN KHas-o-KHaashaak-i-gulistaaN mujh se
muddat hu'ii hai yaar ko mihmaaN kiye hu'e
josh-i-qadH se bazm charaaGhaaN kiye hu'e.
As you have rightly noted, even though the word is plural, it is used
as a singular, hence singular verb.There is a hint that "charaaGhaaN"
may mean " a place which is lit up by lamps" and not just "lit-up
lamps".
phir garm-i-naalah-haa-i-sharar-baar hai nafas
muddat hu'ii hai sair-i-charaaGhaaN kiye hu'e
Continuing with this theme, one has the following nouns and adjectives
which are used in plural form but give singular meaning.
jaan (life/soul)>>>>>>>>>jaanaan/N (sweetheart/beloved)
jaan-i-man, jaanaan-i-man ( Rafi song)
jii DhuuNDtaa hai phir vahii fursat, kih raat din
baiThe raheN tasavvur-i-jaanaaN kiye hu'e
muslim>>>>>>>>>>>>>muslim-aan/N >>>musalmaan/N
ezad (god)>>>>>yazd>>>>>>>>>>yazdaaN (gods)>>>>>>>>>God
shaad (happy >>>>>>>>shaadaaN happy ones (?)>>>>happy
jaaved (eternal)>>>>>>>>>>jaavedaaN (eternal ones)>>> eternal
( As an additional and perhaps useless information, on the pattern of
SaaHibaaN (as in Mirzaa-SaaHibaaN), one has BegamaaN, ReshamaaN,
DaulataaN, FazalaaN, NuuraaN, ShariifaaN etc as female names in the
Punjab).
Turning to "bahaaraaN", let me once again turn to the Punjab.
baaGh-bahaaraaN te gul-zaaraan bin yaar-aaN kis kaarii
yaar milaNR dukh jaaNR hazaaraaN, shukar karaaN lakh vaarii
( MiyaaN Mohammad...Saif-ul-Muluuk)
baaGh-bahaareN, awr gulzaareN bin yaaroN kis kaar (kis kaam ke)
yaar mileN dukh jaa'eN hazaaroN, shukr karuuN laakh baar
(ya'nii yaar mileN to hazaaroN dukh duur ho jaate haiN...)
Clearly, here "bahaaraaN" is used in the plural as you have suggested.
However, quoting Miir...
chalte ho to chaman ko chaliye kahte haiN kih bahaaraaN hai
paat hare haiN phuul khile haiN kam kam baad-o-baaraaN hai
We know that some suffixes have a dual function of time and space.
Normally one associates "-istaan" with place only, as in..
Hinduu-istaan>>>>Hindu(u)staan
Paakistaan
AfGhaanistaan....
but what about taabistaan (time of heat/summer), zamistaan (time of
snow/winter) and bahaaristaan (time of spring/spring). Similarly we
have "gaah" for place as in KHvaab-gaah (bed-room), sair-gaah (park),
aaraam-gaah (resting-place) etc and for time subH-gaah (morning time),
saHar-gaah (dawn time), shaam-gaah (evening time). Exactly in this
manner, we find words like..
be-aab-aan ( a place without water)
zaahid-aan ( "pious-settlement"; a city in Iran)
sipaahaan ( "soldier-camp; Isfahan, a famous city in Iran)
aabaad-aan ( " a place of settlement"; again, a city in Iran.
Punjab has had a long association with Farsi speaking peoples, hence
the Farsi name Panj-aab ({land of} five waters/rivers). On the north
bank of the river Jhelum, is a city called Jhelum. On the south bank
there is a small village called "PuraaNRii Jhelam-aaN". Could this
mean " the place where old "nagrii" of Jhelum" was?
In terms of time, we have...
bahaaraaN (spring time)
baamdaad-aaN (morning time)
hijr-aaN (time of seperation)
Occasionally, one finds a combination of "gaah" and "aaN", as in
"saHar-gaahaaN", "naa-gahaaN" (suddenly). Here one can perhaps assume
that the two suffixes together might reinforce the time sense. Or,
"gaah" has lost its time connotation and "-aaN" is affixed to provide
that sense. In Punjabi one can site "saHargii velaa" (velaa, from
Sanskrit means time...so the words mean "dawn time" and in English
"Sahara Desert" really means "desert desert"!
taaraaj-i-kaavish-i-Gham-i-hijraaN hu'aa Asad
siinah kih thaa dafiinah-i-gauharhaa-i-raaz kaa
Gham-i-hijraaN= hijr ke vaqt kaa Gham.
One can see that in"hijraaN" the time context has practilly been
lost.
jo ham pih guzrii so guzrii magar shab-i-hijraaN
hamaare ashk tirii 'aaqibat saNvaar chale
In this couplet "shab-i-hijraaN" can properly only be translated as if
the words were "shab-i-hijr" (the night of seperation).
In summary, Miir, in the shi'r quoted is saying...
If you intend to go anywhere then let us go to the garden, because
people are saying it is spring time!
The leaves are green, the flowers are in blossom AND there is a
gentle breeze with drizzle!
Naseer
Naseer
> > aap *par* aamad ho nah ho, aap *kii* aamad par ham sab KHushii se
> > phuule nahiiN samaate! idhar ham haiN kih *kabhii bhii* aamad nahiiN
> > hu'ii!:)
> > jaate jaate yih bhii kahtaa chaluuN kih agar aap par kisii "sher" kii
> > aamad ho ga'ii to yih sher yaqiin-an aap ke liye KHatre kaa sabab ban
> > saktaa hai. haaN, agar aap kii muraad "shi'r" hai to yih bilaa-shak ek
> > pur-masarrat baat ho gii!:)
> Janaab Nasir Sahib
> Kya aap kabhi aam urdu men bhi baat karte hain ya nahin? Aap ke
> alfaaz paRh kar dimaagh dukhne lag jaata iss naacheez ka. :-)
> farah
>>> chaliye shukr hai isee bahaane ma'aloom paR gaya k aap ke paas
>>> dimaaGh hai to sahi! idhar to yeh haal hai k in saahib ki tahreereN
>>> paRh-paRh kar jaataa hi rahaa. :-P
>>> UVR.
muHtaram UVR Sahib, aadaab.
achchhaa hu'aa kih aap ne merii yih gutthii bhii suljhaa dii. *idhar*
maiN soch rahaa thaa kih janaab-i-UVR Sahib ne merii kisii bhii baat
ko "lalkaaraa" nahiiN! KHaamoshii hii se sab kuchh qubuul kar liyaa
hai. KHudaa KHair kare, aaKHir maajaraa kyaa hai?:) ab patah chalaa
kih "udhar" aap ne apnaa "bhejaa" kuchh yuuN bhejaa kih "jaataa hii
rahaa"!!!:) vuh bhii kisii bandah-i-Naseer-i-pur-taqsiir kii taHriir
par taHriir paRh paRh kar! awr is jauhar-i-gum-gashtah-o-naa-yaab ke
ba-Ghair aap bhalaa javaab bhii kaise dete? du'aa hai kih aap aa'indah
is anmol ratan kii dekh-bhaal meN kisii bhii qism kii Ghaflat nahiiN
barteN ge awr ummiid kartaa huuN kih aap ise apne man se duur nahiiN
hone deN ge:)
Jokes apart....
I have become aware that I have made an error in the context of the
word"hijraan/N". A reputable dictionary gives two nouns, namely "hajr"
and "hijraan" with identical meanings. "hijr" appears to be, according
to my Urdu/English dictionary "pedantic".
In short, in the word "hijraan/N", the "-aan/N" part is neither a
plural suffix, nor a suffix to indicate time.
Naseer