Difference Between Arabs and Persians

Arabs vs Persians

Arab people, or Arabs, are those people who inhabit the Arab world. “Arab world” is considered to be located in North Africa and Western Asia. Arabs are distinguished from other people on the basis of culture, genealogy, and language. Persian people, or Persians, are those people who are a part or group of Iranian peoples. Iranian peoples are people who speak Iranian languages and belong to the Indo-European family.

Arabs

“Arab” is a word which has had many meanings over the past centuries. Some meanings have been overlapping in their meanings.  It refers mainly to the people living in the Arab world which includes North Africa and Western Asia. Arabs are identified on the basis of their language, culture, and genealogy. Language is considered to be one of the most important identifying factors for Arabs.

The word “Arab” is also used for “Bedouin” or Arab nomads exclusively. Arabs are identified according to the country they live in, the religion they subscribe to, language they use, and sect they follow. It is considered to be one of the largest and most diverse ethnic groups in the world.

Currently, in modern times, Arabs are identified on the criteria of:

• Genealogy- The people who can trace their ancestry to the original inhabitants of tribes of Arabia who lived in the Syrian Desert and Arabian Peninsula.
• Linguistics- Those people whose first language is Arabic. Arabic includes all different varieties of Arabic. Some groups of people who fit this criterion do not accept the criteria as they may be of non-Arab ancestry.

Persians

Persian people speak the Persian language. They are a part of a people called the “Iranian peoples.” They are very closely related to people who speak Iranian languages and dialects. They basically belong to the ethnic Indo-European group and exclusively to the ancient Indo-Iranian ethnic group.

The word “Persian” comes from “Persis.” “Persis” is located in the northern part of the Persian Gulf. “Pars” is the region from which the Persian Empire or Achaemenid Empire started expanding.

The current distribution of Persians is across the Iranian Plateau to the Indus River of Pakistan in the east to Turkey in the west. It also spreads from Central Asia to the Caucasus in the north and finally to the Persian Gulf in the south. This entire stretch is called the “Iranian Cultural Continent.”

Summary:

1. Arab people, or Arabs, are those people who inhabit the Arab world. “Arab world” is considered to be located in North Africa and Western Asia; Persians are those people who inhabit the Iranian Cultural Continent which includes the Iranian Plateau to the Indus River of Pakistan in the east to Turkey in the West. It also spreads from Central Asia to the Caucasus in the north and finally to the Persian Gulf in the south.
2. Arabs are people who can trace their ancestry to the original inhabitants of tribes of Arabia who lived in the Syrian Desert and Arabian Peninsula; Persians are a part of the Iranian peoples who belong to the Indo-European family.
3. Arabs speak Arabic and all varieties of Arabic; Persians speak Iranian languages and dialects.

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