AboutBehzad Expertise I can answer questions about the usage and meaning of Persian words, proverbs, and idioms asked in Persian or English. Controversial grammatical issues are beyond my knowledge. In addition, I cannot corroborate my answer to a question about newly coined slang words.
PLEASE do not ask me to translate more than 1 or 2 sentences.
Experience Persian language is my mother tongue; however, my knowledge is remarkably more than a mere native speaker.
I was wanting to ask about two Persian words: پيشكشpi:shkash and پيشگير pi:shgi:r. The first seems to mean some kind of introduction? present? pr
esentation? and the second to mean some kind of towel.
Please could you explain exactly what these words mean and how they are used today? Do they still reflect their original elements, i.e. (hope I'm right) pi:sh + kashi:dan and pi:sh + gereftan?
All the best, and many thanks,
Simon
PS Both words are used in Turkish, and the Greeks have even adopted them too!
peşkeş = a present which is suspect in some way, perhaps because it's a bribe or perhaps because it doesn't belong to the giver in the first place
peşkir = a hand towel; table napkin (often embroidered)
Answer Hello,
Thank you for the information about the usage of these words in other languages.
Pishgi:r means apron in Persian Language, but is not used nowadays; instead, pi:shband is used. Pishband = pish + band which means what is fastened on the front side, I think.
Pishkesh means a present. It is a rather formal word. The word “hadie” (هدیه) is both formally and informally used. “ka:do” (کادو), adopted from French, is used mostly in informal speaking. Persian word for souvenir is “sogha:t” or “sogha:ti:” (سوقات یا سوقاتی); sogha:ti: is informal.
You are right about the original elements of these words.
Pishgi:r= pish + gi:r. gi:r here means what covers something, I think but am not sure.
Pishkesh= pish + kesh. I think this combination illustrates the act of giving a gift since a gift is usually brought up and kept in front of the receiver. I guess the word present in English draws the same picture implicitly.
Another point which might be useful is that the most accurate pronunciation of پیشکش is pi:shkash as you have written in your question, but pi:shkesh is more common between many Persian speakers. For example, in Tehran it is mostly pronounced pi:shkesh.
