سر و برگ

Persian

FWOTD – 3 September 2024

Etymology

From سر (sar, “head; (here) intention, desire”) +‎ و (o, “and”) +‎ برگ (barg, “leaf; (here) preparation, means, wealth, intention”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [sa.ɾu baɾɡ]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sä.ɾʊ.bǽɾɡ]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [sä.ɾʊ.bǽɾɡ]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [sä.ɾʊ.bǽɾɡ]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [sä.ɾu.bǽɾɡ̥]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [sæ.ɹo.bǽɹɡʲ̥]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [sä.ɾu.bǽɾɡ]

Readings
Classical reading?	saru barg
Dari reading?	sarubarg
Iranian reading?	sarobarg
Tajik reading?	sarubarg

Noun

سر و برگ • (sar o barg)

1. equipment, apparatus, means (of doing something)
2. desire, inclination, preference
   • c. 1380, Jahān Malik Khātūn, “Ghazal 267”, in دیوان جهان [Divān-i Jahān]‎^[1]:

     گفتم بکنی به ما نظر گفت
     ما را سر و برگ هر گدا نیست

     guftam bikunī ba mā nazar guft
     mā rā sar u barg-i har gadā nēst

     I said, "Look at me!" He said,
     "I am not inclined towards any beggar."

     (Classical Persian romanization)

Descendants

• → Hindustani:

  Hindi: सर-ओ-बर्ग (sar-o-barg)

  Urdu: سَرْ و بَرْگ (sar o barg)