Dark mode test: This text should be light, and this link should be blue-ish.
A fact-checked tribute to the truth of Persian language and its script—minus the myths.
The Reformers (Script Change & Simplification)
Mirzā Fatḥ-ʿAlī Ākhūndzādeh (Akhundzadeh)
Among the earliest and most vocal advocates of replacing the existing script. Over the 1860s–1870s he refined proposals that ultimately suggested wholesale replacement of the Arabic-derived script with a mixed Roman/Cyrillic design to improve literacy and administration (Encyclopaedia Iranica; Azeri.org overview).
Mirzā Malkom Khān
A reformist diplomat who worked on script reform and simplification (not necessarily total Latinization). His proposals aimed at mass education by revising letters and marking vowels more clearly—ideas discussed with Ottoman reformers in Istanbul (Ö. Kapıcı, academic article PDF; Academia summary).
Sayyed Ḥasan Taqizadeh
In the late 1920s, inspired by Atatürk’s reforms, Taqizadeh circulated ideas for a modified Latin alphabet for Persian, framed as a long-horizon reform to tackle literacy barriers (Iran 1400 research note). These remained proposals; no state adoption followed.
Ahmad Kasravī
A fierce language reformer who promoted Zabān-e Pāk (“Pure Language”) and at times considered script change among tools for simplification; later commentary on his treatise notes he weighed Latin script alongside lexical purification (overview with references; Ridgeon 2006, ch. on Kasravī).
The Guardians (Continuity, Standardization & Heritage)
Opposing a break with the past, many scholars and writers argued that drastic change would cut Iranians off from a millennium of manuscripts, poetry, and scholarship—a loss too great to justify. Instead, they favored standardization and careful modernization of orthography.
ʿAlī-Akbar Dehkhodā
Compiler of the monumental Dehkhodā Dictionary, a project that anchored vocabulary, usage, and citations across centuries—an implicit defense of continuity and a practical tool for standardization (Dehkhodā Institute; Tehran Times; Encyclopaedia Iranica bio).
Moḥammad-ʿAlī Forūghī
Statesman, scholar, and editor of classical texts who worked to institutionalize Iran’s literary heritage in the modern era—supporting continuity of script through practice and policy making (see discussions in Acta Iranica (Yarshater Festschrift) and related scholarship).
Ṣādeq Hedāyat
A modernist giant who wrestled with continuity and change in literature. While not a “script activist,” his work and criticism treated modernization through style rather than alphabet rupture (Y. C. Coulter, CLCWeb; Association for Iranian Studies).
Standardizers & Orthographers
Through the 20th century, linguists and institutions pushed orthographic standardization (spelling rules, spacing, diacritics) rather than alphabet change (“Persian Orthography: Modification or Changeover?” (Uppsala PDF); Aspirantum overview).
Did the State Ever Back Latinization?
Persistent rumor, complicated reality. In Reżā Shāh’s modernization era, language planning was energetic, but no official adoption of a Latin alphabet for Persian took place. Scholars note proposals and debate—yet no decree to replace the script (analysis with sources; for context on Turkey’s 1928 reform see PBS timeline).
Why Tajikistan Writes Persian in Cyrillic (History in One Breath)
Tajik (Tajiki Persian) used Perso-Arabic for centuries, briefly switched to Latin under the Soviets in the late 1920s, and then to Cyrillic by the late 1930s—for political and literacy-planning reasons. Debates continue, but Cyrillic remains standard (Tajik alphabet overview with references).
Persian Script: A Quick Timeline (1830s → Today)
What actually happened—reform ideas vs. what the state adopted—plus regional detours in Turkey and Tajikistan.
-
1830s–1850s • Early modernization debates begin Regional Context
Across the Middle East and South Asia, printing and mass education spark new questions about orthography and literacy.
-
1860s–1870s • Ākhūndzādeh proposes alphabet replacement Proposal
Mirzā Fatḥ-ʿAlī Ākhūndzādeh argues that the Arabic-derived script hinders literacy and administration, proposing a new mixed alphabet (Roman/Cyrillic-inspired) to replace it.
-
1870s–1890s • Malkom Khān pushes simplification, not full Latinization Proposal
Mirzā Malkom Khān proposes clearer vowel marking and letter reforms to speed up mass literacy—closer to orthographic reform than alphabet replacement.
-
1906–1911 • Constitutional era: language planning intensifies Proposal Standardization
Reform ideas circulate widely; newspapers and early ministries experiment with spelling and spacing conventions.
-
1925–1941 • Reżā Shāh era: modernization without alphabet change Standardization
Despite energetic reforms, Iran does not adopt Latinization. Policy focuses on centralization, schooling, and orthographic norms—not alphabet replacement.
-
1928 • Turkey adopts Latin alphabet Adopted Policy Regional Context
Atatürk’s sweeping reform becomes the regional benchmark for “alphabet change,” often (incorrectly) assumed to have happened in Iran too.
-
1928–1940 • Tajik switches (Perso-Arabic → Latin → Cyrillic) Adopted Policy Regional Context
Soviet language policy first promotes Latinization, then mandates Cyrillic by late 1930s. Result: Tajiki Persian is written in Cyrillic to this day.
-
1940s–1970s • Dehkhodā Institute & orthographic standardization Standardization
Lexicography and style guidance stabilize usage; ministries, publishers, and media converge on spelling/spacing rules rather than new alphabets.
-
1990s–present • Digital typography & readability tweaks Standardization
Better fonts, keyboard layouts, and ezāfe/hamzeh conventions evolve. The core alphabet stays, access to classical texts remains intact.
-
Side note • Pakistan’s anthem language Regional Context
Written in classical Urdu with a heavily Persianized lexicon (1952). Persian speakers understand much of it; it is not strictly “in Persian.”
Tip: “Proposal” ≠ “policy.” Iran debated change but never issued a universal alphabet switch like Turkey (1928). Tajikistan’s path was driven by Soviet policy.
Why Continuity Won
The strongest argument against alphabet change was simple: a switch risked cutting Iranians off from manuscripts, poetry, and scholarship spanning a millennium. Reformers promised literacy gains; guardians warned of cultural amnesia. Iran chose the slower path—standardization over rupture—preserving direct access to Rūdakī, Ferdowsī, Rūmī, Ḥāfeẓ, Sāʿdī, and beyond (Aspirantum summary; Uppsala study).
Further Reading (Starter List)
- Encyclopaedia Iranica: ĀḴŪNDZĀDA (Akhundzadeh)
- Malkom Khan & Ottoman alphabet reform (PDF)
- Note on Taqizadeh’s 1928 Latin alphabet pamphlet
- Ridgeon, Sufi Castigator (Kasravī, 2006)
- “Persian Orthography: Modification or Changeover?” (Uppsala)
- Tajik alphabet (overview + refs)
- Dehkhodā Lexicon Institute
♥️ Zero obligation, all love. ♥️
Dark mode test: This text should be light, and this link should be blue-ish.
