Farhang-e-Asifiya (Urdu: فرہنگ آصفیہ, lit.'The Dictionary of Asif') is an Urdu-to-Urdu dictionary compiled by Syed Ahmad Dehlvi.[1] It has more than 60,000 entries in four volumes.[2] It was first published in January 1901 by Rifah-e-Aam Press in Lahore, present-day Pakistan.[3][4]

Farhaṅg-i Āṣafiyya
Book Cover
EditorM. Saiyid Ahmad Dehlvi
Original titleفَرْہَن٘گِ آصَفِیَّہ
LanguageUrdu
GenreDictionary
PublisherRifāh-i ʿĀm Press (Lahore)
Publication date
January 1901 (1st edition)
Publication placeBritish India
Original text
فَرْہَن٘گِ آصَفِیَّہ at Internet Archive

History

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It was compiled from 1868 to 1898.[5] This dictionary is believed to be the most comprehensive work of Urdu lexicon.[6]

Lexicography

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There were Urdu dictionaries before this, but they described Urdu vocables either in Persian or in English (because of the emergence of British Raj). These dictionaries contained mostly common words and idioms and had limited extent.[7] This was the first Urdu-to-Urdu dictionary. During its compilation, Syed Dehlvi’s health worsened and he got into monetary issues. It was only completed with the support of the ruler of Deccan, Mir Mehboob Ali Khan.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Hakala, Walter (2016). Negotiating Languages: Urdu, Hindi, and the Definition of Modern South Asia. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 115. ISBN 9780231178303.
  2. ^ Padhi, Pitambara (1994). Reference Sources in Modern Indian Languages: A Study on Oriya Language. Gayatridevi Publications. p. 26.
  3. ^ Saiyid Ahmad Dehlvi, ed. (January 1901). Farhaṅg-i Āṣafiyya فَرْہَن٘گِ آصَفِیَّہ (in Urdu). Vol. 4 (1st ed.). Lahore: Rifāh-i ʿĀm Press. p. 1 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ "farhang-e-asifiya". Rekhta. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  5. ^ a b Parekh, Rauf (April 29, 2013). "Farhang-i-Aasifiya: a dictionary reflecting cultural heritage". DAWN. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  6. ^ Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1042. ISBN 9788126011940.
  7. ^ "Farhang-e-Asifiya" [فرہنگِ آصفیہ]. Urdu Gah.