An Analytical Look at the Preposition “ to” (be) and Its Uses and Meaning in Sad al–Din Varavini’s Marzban–nameh

Document Type : Grammar

Author

Professor of Language and Literature Department of Imam Khomeini International University

10.22091/jls.2025.12326.1664

Abstract

At first glance, prepositions – being empty, non-lexical morphemes with fixed meaning – appear less susceptible to linguistic change. However, a closer examination of this grammatical category reveals that it undergoes no less transformation than other linguistic elements over time. The passage of time alters their form, structure, meaning, and semantic scope. Prepositions weaken in meaning over time and must be reinforced, or “recharged”, so to speak. Persian prepositions weaken in meaning over time and must be reinforced, or “recharged” so to speak. Persian prepositions had multiple and varied meanings during the formative and developmental centuries of the Persian language, but over time – particularly in the modern era- their meaning have become more restricted and sometimes specialized. That said, some linguistic theories argue the opposite: that prepositions, especially in contemporary usage, have acquired multiple and diverse meaning. In this article, the author examines the preposition "به" (be) in Marzban-nameh by Sad al-Din Varavini, presenting its various meaning and implications along with textual evidence. Additionally, drawing from Persian grammarians and the usage of prepositions in different Persian texts. This study demonstrates that the preposition "به" appears over 1,300 times in Marzban-nameh with multiple meaning, concepts, and semantic function, indicating a broader range of significations than its modern Persian usage. The research is conducted through a library–based, descriptive-analytical method, focusing on textual examination.

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References

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Rhetoric and Grammar Studies
Volume 14, Issue 26
March 2025
Pages 203-218

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