I’m reading a script that’s set in post-revolutionary Iran. The characters use the term “are” and from context, I’m guessing this means something like “okay.” Later on, both characters use “Merci,” which I recognize as French (but maybe there is a Persian term like this?). Is the term “are” French or Persian? How is it pronounced? And why are Iranian people using French (if they are?)
And if you can find an example of people pronouncing “are” and “merci” in an Iranian/Persian accent on the web, you get bonus points.
Perhaps the most common way of saying thank you in Iran is “merci kheili mamnoon,” which is three words from three different languages: “Merci,” as mentioned, from the French; “kheili” being Persian, and “mamnoon” being Arabic!
“Merci” by itself works fine too, though, as does “kheili mamnoon” or just “mamnoon.”
In the early 20th century, French was still considered the second language of Persia. At the time, it was pretty well recognized as the “global language”, and was, besides that, the language of the aristocracy pretty much everywhere in the world. The influx of western culture into Persia, beginning in the 17th century, brought a huge number of loan words into the Persian language, nearly all from French:
The Russians were also making colonial noises in early Persia, and French was so widespread in Russia that many of the Russian aristocracy could not speak Russian at all.
French, in fact, has had an enormous effect on English as well.
And “prestige”, “international”, or “trade” languages have been making inroads to and affecting languages all over the world for millennia. English in the 21st and 20th century, French in the 18th and 19th century, Latin in Medieval Western Europe, Greek in Medieval Eastern Europe and the Ancient Levant and Mediterranean, Chinese in old Japan, Swahili and Arabic in Sub-Saharan Africa, the list goes on and on.
lots of french influence from long time ago in Iran, so yes, the Persians say “merci” as thank you. Heard it my whole life growing up (Parents from Iran)
“Are” pronounced “Are-Ay” means “yes”
You say “Bee-ya” for “come here”
hopefully you have the fortune to know what kebab and paklava are