Definite “yā”, A Vocative Suffix: A Rare and Unknown Suffix in the Diachronic Grammar of Persian

The well-known structures of a vocative sentence in Persian are composed of “ey + noun”, “yā + noun”, “ayā + noun” and “noun + ā” which are discussed by most grammarians. However, there has been another common form in the past, “ey + noun + ī”, which has not been discussed to date. This structure belonged to the fifth and sixth centuries and has been used in some common Khorasanate dialects, but was distorted in several famous texts. Moreover, since vocatives are definite nouns, it seems that the suffix “ī” in this structure “ey + noun+ ī” is a definite marker that adds new meanings of punishment, denial, ridicule, guidance and affection to the noun. This paper intends to introduce and discuss this structure.