The correct forms of Pahlavi words are often problematical on account of the inadequate al phabet, and the traditional readings of many of them are certainly incorrect. The common means of determination by comparison with Avesta and Persian cognates. with the Aramaic equiva lents of the logograms, and with the numerous Armenian loan-words from Middle Persian, often renders a fairly accurate restoration of the original form of the Pahlavi words possible.
Pahlavi literature is of considerable extent, although its literary value is slight. It may be divided into three classes—Pahlavi translations, intermingled with commentary, of the Avesta, texts on religion, and treatises on miscellaneous subjects. Of the first class the most important published texts are the Pahlavi ndid 4d, and l'ispered, the lia.t.Oxt .."ask, the Aogrina dan.'d, the latter two dealing mainly with esehatological subjects and with death, and the Fraling-i Oim-aCrak, a dictionary of (Iranian) Pahlavi words, with their Avesta equivalents. Of the Pahlavi texts on religion, the principal are the Dinkart, a large work of which six books have been preserved, treating of Zoroastrian cus toms, doctrines, and literature; the Bfindahisn, which gives the Iranian cosmogny; the Dritistlin i-Dinik, a series of replies to ninety-two inquiries on religious questions; the ,ikand-grt mania l'ijar (of which only the Pazend text and a Sanskrit translation are thus far known). a most important source for a knowledge of Zoro astrian philosophy, and of interest also for its criticisms of Christianity, IManiclueism, and :\lohammedanism; the ,8iiyast-/0-gnya.st, on the duties of Zoroastrians and the dangers which beset them ; the Xrat, being the answers of the 'Spirit of Wisdom' to seventy two inquiries concerning the faith; the eschato logical treatises of the drt4J-Viraf and the Bahama Yaid and the Jlirtiglnn-i Frylind. containing Vosht's replies to thirty three riddles propounded to him by the wizard Akht, whom he answers and destroys. The third division has as its most important texts the Zariran, a history of the war resulting from Zoroaster's conversion of Vishtaspa (see ZOROASTER), the historical romance of the /i?Ir n6mak-i Pelpakan, and a geographical treatise, the ,Satruihoi-i-diran, which describes about a hundred cities in Iran.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Spiegel, Grammatik der ThirsiBibliography. Spiegel, Grammatik der Thirsi- Sprache (Leipzig, 1851) ; id., Gram tik der Iluzreiresch-Sprache (Vienna, 1856) ; Sanjana, Grammar of the Pahlari Language (Bombay, 1ST]) ; Harlez, ilanuel du Pehteri (Park, 1850), the most convenient handbook for beginning the study of the language: Darmesteter, Etudes Iraniennes, vol. i. 18831; Salemann,
telpersisch," in Geiger and Kuhn, Grardri.ss der iranischen Philologlr, vol. i. (Stras-:burg, 19011; Spiegel, Traditionelte Littera or der Parsen (Vienna, 1860); West, "Pahlavi Literature." in Geiger and Kuhn, Grundriss der iranisehen Philologie, vol. ii. (Strasshurg. 18961; Jamasp Asana, PAh1ari, Gujarati, and English Mdion arg (Bombay, 1877 et seq). The most important editions and translations of Pahlavi texts are as follows: \Vest, "Pahlavi Texts," in Miller, Sacred Books of the East, vole. v., xviii., xxiv., xxxvii., slvii. (Oxford, 1880-971. a set of translations invaluable for Iranian schol ars: Spiegel, Aresta, die heiligen Sehriften der Parsea, sammt der Iluzlearesch-l'ebersct:ung (Vienna, 1853-58) : Gat/uis (Oxford. 189J1: Darmestetes, "Nirangistan." in Le Zend-.Ircsta, vol. iii. (Paris. 1593) : Sanjana, Xiraapistaii (Bombay. 1S971: Tioshang and Haug, Old Zond-Pahhri Glossary (ib.. 18671 : Reiehelt. Fr'ahaag-7 Oim (Vienna. 1900) : 110? hang and Haug, old Fulda ri-Puyad Glossary (Bombay, 1870; this contains also im portant "Essay on Pahlavi") ; (;eiger. .1 slarrV1, cin Parsenti-act in Psit'end. .11thaktriseh surd Sanskrit (Erlangen, 1878): Peshot:n. It kard (Bombay, 1S74 et seq.) : Justi. IIimmclheseh (Leipzig, 1868) : Hoshair and West. ,8ikand ganoinik lifeir (Bombay, 1857) ; Andreas. Book of the ilainyo-i-Khard (Kiel, 1552) ; West, of the Moiny(i-i-hhard 1 Stuttgart, 1871) : Hater and West, Book of Arda I iraf . . Gosht i Erna no, and Ilnlokbt-Nysk ( Bombay. this c;mtains also a valuable table of Pahlavi ligatures and an outline of the grammar by West) ; daniasp A-a, Arda 1 frnf \ Bombay, 1902 ) : Barthe lemy, iVajastak AGul o lotion d'une m•.• hi-ologique (Paris, 1887) : l'esludans Gan j, agun, Andart.e pat 1.Ndigine and Andarze Khusror Harhtim I Bom bay, 158.5) : Sheria rjee Da dabhoy, .1(1(rbrill ilansorspowl ( ill,, I ; N61dcke• "Geschichte des .1rtach.ir-i Papalinn. an. (lent Pehlewi liber.ctzt," in Bezzenberger. 1Scitraw K nRh der in(loyerinanischen Spraehen, vs )1. iv.
( Witt ingen, 1878) : iyadyar-i-Zariron. Shatroiloi-i-.1ir(in, and Airily(' ro .Sahiqi)lsr-t Iistsin (Bombay. 1899) ; id., .1.1 Dridistfin (ib., 1901),