Rahman Baba (1650—1715) Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 23, 2010
“Monarchy owes itself to the prayers of beggars” “I, Rahman, am a king because I am a beggar” Rahman Baba (whose full name was Abdur-Rahman), was a legendary Pashto poet who was known for his Sufism. He has enlightened Pashtoons through his legendary poetry for over 300 years. Pashtoons around the world honor Rahman Baba…
Loy Jerga (Grand Assembly) Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 18, 2010
In all Pashtoon territories a Loy Jerga is held. The basic objective of Loy Jerga is to come to a consensus on issues of national interest. Usually the most prominent figures of every village participate in the Loy Jerga to discuss issues that have significant geo-political bearings on Pashtoon territories. The best known Loy Jerga…
Pashto Alphabet: The Third Family Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 15, 2010
Before we get going onto the next part of the Pashto alphabet, let’s review the first two major families. First, “alef”: ا alef Remember that “alef” is a non-connecting letter, with only two forms – isolated and final. It is very recognizable because it shows up in Arabic, too. … First Family – As you…
Pashto Alphabet: Step III Posted by Transparent Language on May 26, 2010
To continue where we left off last time, we’ll start with the next family of letters: se: ث Transliteration: s “se” is the sixth letter in the Pashto alphabet. As with most Pashto letters, “se” is normally joined to the letters that precede and follow it. Therefore, “se” has four forms: isolated, initial, medial, and…
The Pashto Alphabet: Step II Posted by Transparent Language on May 25, 2010
Let’s review the first five letters by going into detail with each of them. This will give you context as to how to use these letters for writing and reading. alef / alif : ا Transliteration: a, aa The letter “alef” is the first letter in the Pashto alphabet. It is also one of the…
Learning the Pashto Alphabet Posted by Transparent Language on May 24, 2010
The Pashto Alphabet The Pashto language is an extension of the Arabic alphabet. Pashto script always runs from right to left, the opposite of English. An important thing to remember is that most Pashto letters connect to the letters preceding and following them, just as in English cursive writing. Therefore, letters often change shape depending…
Basic Pashto Posted by Transparent Language on May 22, 2010
In our quest to help you learn about Pashto — from having almost no communicative strength or cultural background — let us first cement a firm foundation so that we may then begin to edify our linguistic architecture. Here are some essential Pashto basics: 1. Right-to-Left. Pashto is written and read from right to left…