June 27. On this date in 1933, Shoghi Effendi wrote Adelbert Mühlschlegel a letter about Bahá'í orthorgraphy, telling him "In regard to the transliteration of Oriental names and words into German he wishes me to inform you that the system of transliteration actually in use in the Bahá'í world has been adopted and approved with only slight changes by a general Orientalist Congress representative of world's greatest orientalists including some outstanding German authorities in various branches of Oriental history and literature. As you see, therefore, it is a highly recommendable system of transliteration and this is why the Guardian is so emphatic about its univeral adoption by the Bahá'ís the world over. Any departure from that system, he strongly feels, may lead to incalculable difficulties and misunderstandings in the future. He would certainly urge you to adopt it yourself and then advise our German friends to do the same in all their official Bahá'í publications and particularly in the forthcoming issues of the "Sonne der Wahrheit" wherein some chapters of the "Dawn-Breakers" are going to be published."
27 June 1933Bahá'í orthography is peculiar for a several reasons. Despite a purported purpose of systematizing pronunciation, Bahá'í orthography fails to accomplish this goal for the very name of the religion itself. While the accent and phonemic diacritic marks in the word "Bahá'í" indicate a three syllable pronunciation as [bæhɒːˈʔiː], the official pronunciation guide of the Bahá'í World News Service gives a two syllable pronunciation of "Ba-High," /bəˈhaɪ/. Amin Banani's A Bahá'í Glossary and Pronunciation Guide notes that the exact realization of the English pronunciation varies. The Oxford English Dictionary has /bæˈhɑːiː/ ba-HAH-ee, Merriam-Webster has /bɑːˈhɑːiː/ bah-HAH-ee, and the Random House Dictionary has /bəˈhɑːiː/ bə-HAH-ee, all with three syllables.
Dear Dr. Muhlschlegel:
Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge on his behalf the receipt of your letter dated May 11th, 1933, together with the enclosed Program of the Bahá'í meetings held in Stuttgart and Esslingen, all of which he has carefully read and deeply appreciated.
In regard to the transliteration of Oriental names and words into German he wishes me to inform you that the system of transliteration actually in use in the Bahá'í world has been adopted and approved with only slight changes by a general Orientalist Congress representative of world's greatest orientalists including some outstanding German authorities in various branches of Oriental history and literature. As you see, therefore, it is a highly recommendable system of transliteration and this is why the Guardian is so emphatic about its univeral adoption by the Bahá'ís the world over. Any departure from that system, he strongly feels, may lead to incalculable difficulties and misunderstandings in the future. He would certainly urge you to adopt it yourself and then advise our German friends to do the same in all their official Bahá'í publications and particularly in the forthcoming issues of the "Sonne der Wahrheit" wherein some chapters of the "Dawn-Breakers" are going to be published.
Concerning the date of the anniversary of the Báb's declaration the Guardian feels that it would be preferable to postpone the consideration of this problem until the Universal House of Justice is established. In the meantime he would advise you to follow the system actually in use in the Bahá'í world, i.e. (year 9.) even in Germany. According to this system the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of the Faith should be celebrated in May of the year 101, that is when we enter the second Bahá'í century. By year 90 we should not mean that 90 years have elapsed since the declaration of the Báb but that we are in the 9th year. But whether it is preferable to adopt this system or that suggested by you and which, you remark, is in use among Christians and Moslems, the future House of Justice has to decide.
Touching the Bahá'í funeral service the Guardian would like you to know that it is of an extreme simplicity, consisting as it does of a congregational prayer which has not yet been translated into any western language but which Shoghi Effendi is planning to have it translated and circulated among the friends. The friends and relatives of the deceased who are unwilling to attend the service should not be forced to do so.
In closing may I extend to you the loving greetings of the Guardian....
In the Guardian's own handwriting:
Dear and valued co-worker:
This is to assure you how glad and gratified I feel to learn that the German believers are taking so active a part in the international activities of the Cause. Their thoroughness, ability, patience and open-mindedness highly qualify them to assume such responsibilities and undertake so great a task. I trust that the letters you will soon be sending to the British High Commissioner for Palestine will be a prelude to the brilliant services you are destined to render to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
Your true brother,
Shoghi
For many common names, the Bahá'í orthographic transliteration can often differ markedly from more common standard transliterations presently in use.
| Bahá'í Orthography | Standard Transliteration | Persian pronunciation | Arabic pronunciation | Perso-Arabic Spelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ádhirbáyján | Azerbaijan | [ɒzeɾbɒːjˈdʒɒːn] | [ʔæðeɾbiːˈdʒæːn] | آذربایجان |
| Fátimih | Fatima | [fɒːteˈme] | [fɑːˈtˤɪmæ, ˈfɑːtˤɪmæ] | فاطمه |
| Shoghi | Shawki | [ˈʃoːɣi] | [ˈʃæwʔi, ˈʃɑwqi] | شوقی |
| Siyyid | Sayyid | [sejˈjed] | [ˈsæjjɪd] | سید |
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