What is Middle Persian?
'''Middle Persian''' is the [[Iranian languages|Iranian]] [[dialect]] of southwestern Khuzestan, Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces in [[Iran]]. During the [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid]] times (224-654 CE) it became a prestige dialect. It came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as [[Western Iranian languages|Western Iranian language]]. It comes from [[Old Persian language|Old Persian]] and is the ancestor of [[Persian language|Modern Persian]]. The native name for Middle Persian (and perhaps for Old Persian also) was ''Pārsik''. The word is the origin of the native name for the [[Persian language|Modern Persian]] language. {{stub}} [[Category:Iranian languages|Persian, Middle]] [[Category:Extinct languages|Persian, Middle]]