Reflections on Week 2

[Sayed]

Reflection on Week 2This week I decided to work on a subject area that I’ve always been very unsure and uncomfortable in for years. Taking the advice of my professor, I decided to use this week to the work on a very specific area, and I choose the area of formal, informal, and professional addresses. Using “Tolo TV” clips, one of the mainstream media outlets in Afghanistan, from their official website and Afghan forums/messageboards recommended to me by my language partner Muska, I picked out specific moments when guests and speakers would arrive at the main set and notice the various ways the two or more individuals greeted each other. This varied from professional, family, semi-professional, etc. settings. I was unsure of why the females were never addressed as “zanaka”, a broad term I’ve used for years to address the female sex, and a plethora of other questions popped in my head which I tried to remedy in my sessions with Muska. Here are a couple of very specific nuances and rules that I learned:* “Zanaka” is a very degrading name to address females in any setting unless its used as slang in very informal jokes* “Zan” is a lot more proper in addressing women in informal and professional settings compared to “zanaka” but hardly the best way. It’s a lot more proper in informal settings, yet is also susceptible as a degrading name if used in a improper tone.* “ Khanoom” and “Na-taq” are far and above the most proper ways of addressing females in any setting. It’s resistant to becoming degrading in any context or tone.* “Quar-ak” which means “sister” is a bit of a wild-card. It can be used in informal and formal settings but is generally not accepted in a professional setting unless the individuals are comfortable with each other. However, where the three previous titles can be used in a marital sense, this title cannot.* When dealing with females or males generally at least 20 years older in a non-professional formal setting, it’s accepted to use the titles “Khal-ah” and “Ka-Ka” respectively. The literal meanings are “aunt” and “uncle”, but it is used nonetheless.* The titles junior, senior, III, etc. are not used in FarsiI have omitted most of the male nuances, but the most interesting thing I learned from that area is that males are usually called by two names, their first and middle, and if there’s no middle name, it is substituted with common titles, such as: Allah, Muhammad, etc. And if they carry the term “Sayed”, it is a reference to their holy genetic connection to the Prophet Muhammad.