The article examines the features of the linguistic context within which individual Iranian languages and dialects evolved in ancient times. Special attention is given to the Old Persian language, documented in preserved texts and inscriptions, as well as to the Iranian languages of Central Asia. We analyse the ramifications of this language context, evident in subsequent linguistic changes in various regions of the Iranian language area. The study contributes to the reconstruction of the history of Iranian-speaking peoples based on evidence from both Iranian and neighbouring (or previously contiguous) languages. The research draws on data obtained using various methodologies — comparative-historical, historical-typological and areal. This methodological framework has made it possible to identify new insights into the reconstruction of the history of Iranian peoples based on linguistic materials. Particular attention is given to the possibility of reconstructing fragments of the sociolinguistic landscape of the ancient Iranian world. This draws on texts, as well as on the structural and partly material historical transformation of various Iranian languages from their ancient state to a later one. The objective here is to outline the linguistic situation that developed in ancient times in various regions of the vast area where Iranian languages and dialects were spoken.
Joy I. Edelman (Wed,) studied this question.