# Balcony



## CyrusSH

According to many dictionaries, like this one: Balconies Definition - Law Dictionary | LegalCrystal this young word in the European languages is from Persian _bala khaneh_ (upper chamber) and it can be compared to Russia _балаган_ (balagán) but in etymonline: Online Etymology Dictionary a proto-Germanic origin has been found for it, the more interesting thing is that in the wiki page: Balcony - Wikipedia it is said that the Germanic word is cognate with Persian term! What do you think about it?


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## CyrusSH

Sorry my mistake, the wiki page mention the Persian word _balkaneh_, not _bala khaneh_, it is a different word and not a compound: معنی بالکانه | لغت‌نامه دهخدا But I still think one of them is a loan, they can't be cognates.


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## Hulalessar

The question is: Who had balconies first, the Persians or the Italians?


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## CyrusSH

Hulalessar said:


> The question is: Who had balconies first, the Persians or the Italians?



The Persian word _balkaneh_ is older than Italian language! In the Dehkhoda dictionary that I posted its link in my previous post, this word can be seen in some poems by Rudaki who lived in 9th century.


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## berndf

The obvious morphological analysis of the Italian word is _balc-one_. _-one_ is a regular augmentative suffix, i.e. _balcone_ means_ big beam_.

The comment in Wikipedia means that the Persian word has the same root as _balc- _(_beam_). This could be, I don't know. But this would mean that it is a parallel development along similar semantic lines and not that any loaning has occurred.


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## CyrusSH

berndf said:


> The obvious morphological analysis of the Italian word is _balc-one_. _-one_ is a regular augmentative suffix, i.e. _balcone_ means_ big beam_.
> 
> The comment in Wikipedia means that the Persian word has the same root as _balc- _(_beam_). This could be, I don't know. But this would mean that it is a parallel development along similar semantic lines and not that any loaning has occurred.



In Mazani balek means "ladder, handspike, ..." and in Persian there are balagar (column), balar (rafter), balal (beam), ...

Synonyms of Persian _balkaneh_ are _sotavand_, _sataviz_, _satavin_ and of course _bala khaneh_, I think the first ones relate to Persian word _sotun_ (column, pillar), _sotavand_ actually means "columned balcony" (like what we see in Ali Qapu palace in Isfahan), it seems Greek στοά (stoiá) has the same origin, _sataviz_ has a similar meaning but it also means "eaves" and _satavin_ also means "columned place" and "butchery".


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## Treaty

_bālkāne_ or _pālkāne_ is a small latticed window made of metal (if it's not made of metal, it's not _bālkāne_). Then in early 20th century, the Persian Academy chose this word as a pure Persian equivalent for foreign "balcony" which is reflected in Dehkhoda's dictionary. However, the writer of the Wikipedia page misrepresented Dehkhoda by implying that he considered them related (nevertheless, even if Dehkhoda had said such a thing, he is not a reliable source for etymology).
To move from a latticed window to a (protruded) cantilever out of the second floor is a long semantic and technical way.


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## PersoLatin

I don't believe _balcony_ and the Persian bâlâxâné/بالاخانه have any links, despite the meanining of بالاخانه, 'a room upstairs' or 'upstairs room' or 'a high part of house' any of which could have a window which can make it a _balcony_. But would Germans or Italians wait for a Persian word to arrive before they could finally rename 'that thing' a _balcony_, or are we suggesting the word came over with the actual invention i.e. the second floor concept?

*Barbican* has developed from bâbxâné/gatehouse (Arabic bâb/باب + Persian خانه), and if _balcony_ had links with bâlâxâné/بالاخانه, shouldn't we be expecting it to look like _balacan_? Of course I'm assuming both words came via the same route & at a similar time.


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## CyrusSH

Treaty said:


> _bālkāne_ or _pālkāne_ is a small latticed window made of metal (if it's not made of metal, it's not _bālkāne_). Then in early 20th century, the Persian Academy chose this word as a pure Persian equivalent for foreign "balcony" which is reflected in Dehkhoda's dictionary. However, the writer of the Wikipedia page misrepresented Dehkhoda by implying that he considered them related (nevertheless, even if Dehkhoda had said such a thing, he is not a reliable source for etymology).
> To move from a latticed window to a (protruded) cantilever out of the second floor is a long semantic and technical way.



What a story! Just look at some older Persian dictionaries, like Borhan-e Ghate or Farhang i Rashidi, they clearly say that it is a room not a window.


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## Treaty

CyrusSH said:


> like Borhan-e Ghate


And have you seen Borhan's entries for _bālkāne _and _pālkāne_ (actually _pālegāne_)? Or did you just decide to pretend you have?

Loghatname itself cites a few old lexicons and dictionaries, from Asadi as the oldest to Anandraj the most recent. Rashidi has entries for both _bālkāne_ ("small opening") and _pālkāne _("chamber"). It seems he was confused or changed his mind_. _Apparently, other dictionaries (including Borhan) are more consistent with the meaning of "[latticed] opening". The most likely reason for the secondary meaning and the issue in Rashidi is that the word also applied to the chamber behind that opening, a feature common in Iranian architecture.


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## CyrusSH

Treaty said:


> And have you seen Borhan's entries for _bālkāne _and _pālkāne_ (actually _pālegāne_)? Or did you just decide to pretend you have?
> 
> Loghatname itself cites a few old lexicons and dictionaries, from Asadi as the oldest to Anandraj the most recent. Rashidi has entries for both _bālkāne_ ("small opening") and _pālkāne _("chamber"). It seems he was confused or changed his mind_. _Apparently, other dictionaries (including Borhan) are more consistent with the meaning of "[latticed] opening". The most likely reason for the secondary meaning and the issue in Rashidi is that the word also applied to the chamber behind that opening, a feature common in Iranian architecture.



I think you just read it in Borhan-e Ghate but you don't know what _bam-e baland-e xaneh_ means.

چو از بام بلند او رو نمايد ناگهان ما را
هواي سست بي آن دم مثال نردبان باشد
Rumi

Anyway it seems to be clear what you said about a 20th-century word is wrong.


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## berndf

CyrusSH said:


> Anyway it seems to be clear what you said about a 20th-century word is wrong.


Whatever the pre-20th century meaning was. I see no semantic overlay with _balcony_. What I understand from the discussion it is latticed window or an oriel or a room behind one. None of this is a _balcony _in the European sense. All European languages use different words for such things.


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## CyrusSH

berndf said:


> Whatever the pre-20th century meaning was. I see no semantic overlay with _balcony_. What I understand from the discussion it is latticed window or an oriel or a room behind one. None of this is a _balcony _in the European sense. All European languages use different words for such things.



In the historical Iranian houses there was a beam at the top of the door which was called _baland_, this word in my Persian-English dictionary has been translated as "transom ", _balkaneh_ was actually a platform at top of it, what is the European word for this thing?


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## berndf

CyrusSH said:


> _balkaneh_ was actually a platform at top of it


If I understand him correctly, Treaty rejects the idea that this is the traditional meaning and I haven't seen yet where you have proved him wrong.

My knowledge of Farsi is abysmal but I read چو از بام بلند in your Rumi quote as _like from the high roof_. How do you understand it?


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## CyrusSH

berndf said:


> If I understand him correctly, Treaty rejects the idea that this is the traditional meaning and I haven't seen yet where you have proved him wrong.



Of course I don't deny that the original meaning of this word could be "window" and "shutter", for example in that poem by Rudaki, it seems to be clear that _balkaneh_ can't mean "balcony" but in some other historical texts, like some poems by Khaqani from the 12th century, it clearly meant what I said in my previous post.

As I searched it seems in some Romance languages, such as Friulian, Sardinian, Venetian, ..., _balcon_ also means "window" and "shutter". balcon - Wiktionary


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## Treaty

CyrusSH said:


> I think you just read it in Borhan-e Ghate


Really? Where did Borhan say _bālkāne_ means "high roof/ceiling"? There are two entries, _bālkāne_ and _pālegāne. _The former that is the concern of this thread means "latticed opening" in Borhan.


CyrusSH said:


> but you don't know what _bam-e *baland*-e xaneh_ means.


At first I thought you misspelled _boland_ as _baland_. But I see what you have planned:


CyrusSH said:


> top of the door which was called _*baland*_,


That _pālegāne _- whether related to _pālegāne _or not - is _bām e *boland*, _i.e. "the *high *roof/ceiling". Anyway, I'm not even sure of this meaning. Dehkhoda's example for this meaning is the following couplet. Here, _pālegāne _(or _pālgāne_) is a thing you can be behind it (ورای) and see things through (بینی منظرم), which is consistent with a "latticed opening" as especially as coupled with تابخانه in the first verse (a see-through chamber with glass door):
از برون تابخانه ٔطبع یابی نزهتم
وز ورای پالکانه ٔ چرخ بینی منظرم


CyrusSH said:


> In the historical Iranian houses there was a beam at the top of the door which was called _baland_, this word in my Persian-English dictionary has been translated as "transom ", _balkaneh_ was actually a platform at top of it, what is the European word for this thing?


Transom is a beam *directly *above the opening, or even as a part of its frame, to support the weight of the portion of the wall above that opening. Many Iranian doors and windows don't feature transom because the structure is an arch. Iranian balcony, can be designed everywhere on the wall not just above a door. Most importantly, their weight is supported by the protruding beams out of the first story ceiling not the weak transom. This is exactly why it makes sense that _balcone_ comes from *_balko_ "beam", because balcony is structurally nothing but a couple of protruded beams (or more if it is wider).


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## CyrusSH

Treaty said:


> Really? Where did Borhan say _bālkāne_ means "high roof/ceiling"? There are two entries, _bālkāne_ and _pālegāne. _The former that is the concern of this thread means "latticed opening" in Borhan.



"high roof/ceiling" is your own translation, but I think you want to say _balkaneh_, _palkaneh_ and _palganeh_ are different words, I think it is easy to prove your are wrong, just look a modern Persian dictionary:پالگانه and پالکانه. We are not talking about an unknown language.



> At first I thought you misspelled _boland_ as _baland_. But I see what you have planned:
> ​That _pālegāne _- whether related to _pālegāne _or not - is _bām e *boland*, _i.e. "the *high *roof/ceiling". Anyway, I'm not even sure of this meaning. Dehkhoda's example for this meaning is the following couplet. Here, _pālegāne _(or _pālgāne_) is a thing you can be behind it (ورای) and see things through (بینی منظرم), which is consistent with a "latticed opening" as especially as coupled with تابخانه in the first verse (a see-through chamber with glass door):
> از برون تابخانه ٔطبع یابی نزهتم
> وز ورای پالکانه ٔ چرخ بینی منظرم



It really doesn't matter that is _baland_ or _boland_, the problem is that you don't know the difference between the words بام and سقف!!



> Transom is a beam *directly *above the opening, or even as a part of its frame, to support the weight of the portion of the wall above that opening. Many Iranian doors and windows don't feature transom because the structure is an arch. Iranian balcony, can be designed everywhere on the wall not just above a door. Most importantly, their weight is supported by the protruding beams out of the first story ceiling not the weak transom. This is exactly why it makes sense that _balcone_ comes from *_balko_ "beam", because balcony is structurally nothing but a couple of protruded beams (or more if it is wider).



"transom" could be really not a good translation for Persian _baland_, this Persian word, like other words that I mentioned in this thread (balek, balagar, balar, balal, ...) also relate to "beam", it seems very possible that _balkaneh_ relate to them too.


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## berndf

CyrusSH said:


> "high roof/ceiling" is your own translation


That is the obvious translation and you still own us an explanation why this should be wrong.


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## CyrusSH

berndf said:


> That is the obvious translation and you still own us an explanation why this should be wrong.



Because بام can be large but not high, as a Persian proverb says: هرکه بامش بیش، برفش بیشتر


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## berndf

CyrusSH said:


> Because بام can be large but not high


Treaty seems not to think so and he is a native speaker as well, so that is not overly convincing. But if you want to change the interpretation of بلند from _high_ to _tall_ I wouldn't know where the problem was. I don't understand your point yet.


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## CyrusSH

berndf said:


> Treaty seems not to think so and he is a native speaker as well, so that is not overly convincing. But if you want to change the interpretation of بلند from _high_ to _tall_ I wouldn't know where the problem was. I don't understand your point yet.



It is easy to look at an English to Persian dictionary to see "ceiling" means بام or not, even if we consider بام could mean this thing too, we read in Borhan-e Ghate:  بام بلند و دریچه ٔ خانه not just بام بلند, so it should be translated as "high ceiling and window of house", what can it mean?

In Persian بام actually means "roofless" and بام بلند (bam-e boland) can mean "sky".


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## berndf

Ok, to express the "sky" as the "tall roof" makes immediate sense. I can very well see that. But how does that take of the balcony"


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## CyrusSH

The most important point is to find the proper meaning of a word in the context, in Borhan-e Ghate about the word بلند we read: it is known to be opposite of low, 2. it also means the beam at the top of the door of a house which is called اسکفه in Arabic (ساكف - translation - Arabic-English Dictionary - Glosbe), it also means door frame and surroundings of the door of a house.


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## sotos

Hulalessar said:


> The question is: Who had balconies first, the Persians or the Italians?



The Greeks.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe..._02.jpg/1200px-Knossos_-_North_Portico_02.jpg


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## Treaty

I don't know what your issue is. The question was whether Italian _balcone_ comes from Persian _balkane_. The answer is simply no for two reasons:
1. Persian _balkane _was never used in the meaning of balcony before 20th century. There are three meanings for it: mainly "latticed opening", and probably "chamber" and "high roof". None of these meanings resemble "balcony" proper or "beam".
2. If you are going to connect _balcone_ to Persian _bal_- words for "beam", it doesn't make sense. Because we already know a local word (*_balko_) which perfectly matches the morphology and means "beam".


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## ahvalj

sotos said:


> The Greeks.
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe..._02.jpg/1200px-Knossos_-_North_Portico_02.jpg


Those Cretans still were not Greeks: Mycenaeans conquered and destroyed that civilization.


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## CyrusSH

I have an important question, what Italian *balcone* really meant?

Let's look at a historical Italian-English dictionary:

Queen Anna's New World of Words, Or Dictionarie of the Italien and English Tongues
Author: Giovanni Florio
Publisher: Bradwood, *1611*

*Balcone*, any window, namely a bay window;


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## CyrusSH

I think Treaty now says "To move from a window to a (protruded) cantilever out of the second floor is a logical semantic development"!


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## berndf

It can mean both, balcony and window. (Balcone: Definizione e significato di Balcone  Dizionario italiano  Corriere.it)

Pianigiani (at its time a very renowned dictionary but quite old now; so I don't know how relevant this still is) puts both etymologies side by side (_some say this, some say this_) and also says that the ending -one is better explained by the Arabic/Persian etymology. (Etimologia : balcone;)

Who knows, maybe there are two different words with different etymologies that merged. Just a wild guess.


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## Treaty

CyrusSH said:


> Balcone, any window, *namely a bay window*;


Thank you. Now I have a better picture of how "balcony" could have developed:
1) beam/scaffold *_balco _
2) protruded beam
3) accessible floor (by a window) supported by #2 (this is "balcony")
4a) technological advance: the window was moved outward (hence "bay window" as in Florio dictionary)

At this point or earlier the word had been introduced into French and Spanish and probably English. So, these languages seem to mainly (or only) have meanings #3 or 4a. Later, the Italian word continues to evolve in Italy as follows:

4b) scaffold/beam shortens (no longer passable) but the balustrade remains (possible vase or flower boxes are put on the projection): Form is retained; function is redefined.
5) from 4b: a window with balustrade/rail (usually starting from the floor) (as in the link posted by berndf). Form is redefined; last function is retained.
6) a window, the word is generalized because of lack of strict definition

#5 and #6 shouldn't have happened long before 1600s because in Florio's dictionary the #4a definition is still dominant.

P.S. I consider the alternative _bala-xane_ etymology is also possible, especially in regard to the usage in theaters. However, I don't know if the Persian _bala-xane_ with the "gallery" notion is as old as Italian _balcone_. Also, it would be useful if someone knows whether _bala-xane_ was ever used in Arabic. Otherwise, a pre-Mongolian loan from Persian directly into Italian is not very likely.


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## PersoLatin

berndf said:


> But this would mean that it is a parallel development along similar semantic lines and not that any loaning has occurred.


I think this is the nearest answer to this.

It is likely that the first 3 letters of *bâl*â-xâné/بالاخانه and *bal*cony are etymologically linked. I have said this before, but if balcony was borrowed, what was is called before the 'trendy new foreign' word bâlâ-xâné arrived, by whichever route? What did the Romans call the upper tiers of amphitheaters? Going by definitions given above, the Colosseum, from outside, is made up of 'balconies', and what's difference between one of those and a window on the second floor of any villa or house in ancient Rome?


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## CyrusSH

PersoLatin, what do you think about the meaning of Persian _balkaneh_? According to Dehkhoda Dictionary: معنی بالکانه | لغت‌نامه دهخدا it is synonym of ستاوند. It seems to be clear what ستاوند means: معنی ستاوند به انگلیسی - دیکشنری آنلاین آبادیس

Then in Dehkhoda dictionary we read some texts from Kimiya-yi sa'ādat which was written in early 12th century: Kimiya-yi sa'ādat - Wikipedia

How do you translate this Persian sentence from that book:

بر هر بالکانه نایبی از آن وزیر نشسته


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## PersoLatin

CyrusSH said:


> PersoLatin, what do you think about the meaning of Persian _balkaneh_? According to Dehkhoda Dictionary: معنی بالکانه | لغت‌نامه دهخدا it is synonym of ستاوند. It seems to be clear what ستاوند means: معنی ستاوند به انگلیسی - دیکشنری آنلاین آبادیس


According to Dehkhoda (your links):
1- بالکانه is essentially like the modern 'spy hole' on a door or a wall where you can see the outside from inside and not vice versa, structurally بالکانه is different, it is made up of a panel with little holes and can be closed on the inside, with a small door (دری کوچک در دیوار که از او بیرون نگرند و بود نیز که مشبک کنند) and can be, or always is, made of gold and/or silver

2- ستاوند is a similar to بالاخانه except it has a large columned open area in front, BUT neither ستاوند or بالاخانه have anything to do with *بالکانه *and *پالکانه*


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## PersoLatin

CyrusSH said:


> بر هر بالکانه نایبی از آن وزیر نشسته


But here بالکانه seems to mean and an 'upper chamber' overlooking some open or enclosed space, much like a theater.
it says: "on every بالکانه a deputy of that vizier is sitting"

But it could equally refer to spy holes (as in the meaning given by Dehkhoda) inside a palace/mansion/castle where the deputies of 'that vizier' are spying on comings and goings.

Where is the rest of this text please, I couldn't find it.


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## CyrusSH

That sentence is from the Dokhoda dictionary entry for the word بالکانه, I think you just read the first part, read the last part from the word ستاوند.


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## PersoLatin

CyrusSH said:


> That sentence is from the Dokhoda dictionary entry for the word بالکانه, I think you just read the first part, read the last part from the word ستاوند.


I looked but there's nothing about this sentence ( بر هر بالکانه نایبی از آن وزیر نشسته) you asked me to translate.


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## CyrusSH

This is the text from Dekhoda dictionary:

 و بروج فلکی که دوازده قسمت است ... چون مثال پادشاهی است که ویرا حجره ٔ خاص باشد که وزیر وی آنجا نشیند و گرداگرد آن حجره رواقی بود به دوازده بالکانه و بر هر بالکانه نایبی از آن وزیر نشسته ، و هفت نقیب سوار بیرون این بالکانها گرد این بالکانها میگردند. (کیمیای سعادت ). و دوازده برج آن دوازده بالکانه . (کیمیای سعادت ). چون نقیبان همیشه گرد این بالکانها همی برآیند، و از هر بالکانها فرمانی از نوعی دیگر به ایشان همی رسد. (کیمیای سعادت ).

It is talking about the wheel of the zodiac, it has been compared to a circular رواق (colonnade) with 12 بالکان, I think بالکان actually means "bay" here but when it says they have sat on بالکانه, a platform seems to be referred.

An image of the wheel of the zodiac: پرونده:Beit Alpha.jpg - ویکی‌پدیا، دانشنامهٔ آزاد

A circular colonnade: http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/46f5ed163...-centre-of-the-circular-colonnades-d6fawb.jpg


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## PersoLatin

Thanks.


CyrusSH said:


> و بروج فلکی که دوازده قسمت است ... چون مثال پادشاهی است که ویرا حجره ٔ خاص باشد که وزیر وی آنجا نشیند و گرداگرد آن حجره رواقی بود به دوازده بالکانه و بر هر بالکانه نایبی از آن وزیر نشسته ، و هفت نقیب سوار بیرون این بالکانها گرد این بالکانها میگردند. (کیمیای سعادت ). و دوازده برج آن دوازده بالکانه . (کیمیای سعادت ). چون نقیبان همیشه گرد این بالکانها همی برآیند، و از هر بالکانها فرمانی از نوعی دیگر به ایشان همی رسد. (کیمیای سعادت ).


I believe this confirms what I said here:


PersoLatin said:


> But it could equally refer to spy holes (as in the meaning given by Dehkhoda) inside a palace/mansion/castle where the deputies of 'that vizier' are spying on comings and goings.


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## CyrusSH

I think Persian _bala-khaneh_ is a Persian word-coinage probably inspired by European _balcony_, as I searched it doesn't exist in any historical Persian text, like the word "Chos-e-fil" (popcorn) from _Chesterfield_ which was the name of the first companey who brought popcorn into Iran. In fact Persians usually make meaningful compounds from loanwords.


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## PersoLatin

CyrusSH said:


> I think Persian _bala-khaneh_ is a Persian word-coinage probably inspired by European _balcony_,


I am not convinced "inspired by European _balcony" _is entirely true. In my own experience, use of بالاخانه has been more popular in regional accents than mainstream Persian and regional areas are usually less exposed to modern and faddy terms, so the term could well have existed, independently. Maybe European _balcony _has revived/popularized its adapted use.


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## Treaty

بالاخانه seems to have been used at least since 8th century AH (by Obeid) and more frequently since 9th century (e.g., in تاریخ یزد by کاتب یزدی or کنزاللغات by ابن معروف). The word frequently appears in Borhan. If we digs in older texts, we may find older examples as well.


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## CyrusSH

I didn't say _bala khaneh_ means nothing in Persian but if we want to consider all Persian compounds as words then it should be said that there are some millions words in the Persian language, for example it is what Obeid Zakani says:

شخصی مهمانی را در زیرخانه خوابانید و نیمه‌شب صدای خنده وی را در بالا‌خانه شنید. پرسید كه : «در آنجا چه می‌كنی؟» گفت : «در خواب غلتیده‌ام.» گفت: «مردم از بالا به پایین غلتند، تو از پایین به بالا غلتی؟» گفت : «من هم به همین می‌خندم.»

In this text _bala khaneh_ just means "upper floor" and _zir khaneh_ "lower floor".


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## PersoLatin

CyrusSH said:


> Persian compounds as words then it should be said that there are some millions


There are many established compounds and maybe potentially millions of others and بالاخانه, by all accounts, is an established compound.



CyrusSH said:


> In this text _bala khaneh_ just means "upper floor" and _zir khaneh_ "lower floor".


There are at least two other versions of the above, I found, in your version a space has been removed (inadvertently, I hope) between زیر and خانه, which makes it look like a compound but if you look at:
...شخصی مهمانی را در* زیر زمین خانه* خوابانید from here and شخصی مهمانی را در *زیر خانه* خوابانیده from here you'll know what I mean. I believe in the latter it is zir*e* xâné and not zir-xâné and the former is different and more accurate anyway, where zir-zamin is a compound.


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## CyrusSH

PersoLatin said:


> There are many established compounds and maybe potentially millions of others and بالاخانه, by all accounts, is an established compound.
> 
> There are at least two other versions of the above, I found, in your version a space has been removed (inadvertently, I hope) between زیر and خانه, which makes it look like a compound but if you look at:
> ...شخصی مهمانی را در* زیر زمین خانه* خوابانید from here and شخصی مهمانی را در *زیر خانه* خوابانیده from here you'll know what I mean. I believe in the latter it is zir*e* xâné and not zir-xâné and the former is different and more accurate anyway, where zir-zamin is a compound.



My source is not from the web, but look at some more reliable websites, not some weblogs, like this one, anyway in your first source it is even "بالای خانه" not "بالاخانه".


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## PersoLatin

We can't really tell which site has the more authentic version, only a screenshot of the original book will settle it. Anyway you have been using (in many cases very dodgy) wiki references for some of your threads, now my references are 'unreliable'. Even if zir-xâné is a valid compound, how does that help?


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## CyrusSH

PersoLatin said:


> I am not convinced "inspired by European _balcony" _is entirely true. In my own experience, use of بالاخانه has been more popular in regional accents than mainstream Persian and regional areas are usually less exposed to modern and faddy terms, so the term could well have existed, independently. Maybe European _balcony _has revived/popularized its adapted use.



Of course it is also possible that it was inspired by older Persian word _balkaneh_, my point is that we shouldn't consider Persian _bala khaneh_ as an original word that other words were derived from it.


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