The ‘sun’ shinning upon the ‘ever-lasting’ country: a diachronic analysis of Iranian national anthems during the 20th century
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Arezoo Adibeik
Arezoo Adibeik,
PhD , graduated in Applied Linguistics from Linguistics and English Language department, Lancaster University, UK in 2018. Her research focuses on critical discourse studies, especially the construction of ethnic identities in comic books. In early 2019, she completed a Micro-research fellowship on UK-Russia Early Career Academic Mobility Programme for Researchers at the International Digital Humanities Lab, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia, where she undertook minor teaching activities while working on her research project onVisualisation of world national anthems in collaboration with the lab. She is currently a full-time lecturer in intercultural communications programme at Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Abstract
Iran has undergone a metamorphosis in its ideological and national identity due to its historical upheavals in the past century, e.g. the Persian Constitutional Revolution (1906–11), Islamic Revolution (1979), Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988). This paper aims to present the diachronic changes in the Iranian official national anthems’ lyrics. Through a critical discourse lens, I demonstrate how the socio-political changes have influenced these anthems and how such transformations have shaped the ideological identities of Iranians’ pre- and post-Islamic revolution to outsiders via lyrics. More specifically, I show how these identities are constructed through texts and via intertextual means. The findings display that the changes in Iranian anthems not only index a socio-historical transformation, but also a kind of acceleration in terms of political developments in contemporary Iran, and the ways in which the leaders may have employed their own ideological views to project Iranian identities.
About the author
Arezoo Adibeik, PhD, graduated in Applied Linguistics from Linguistics and English Language department, Lancaster University, UK in 2018. Her research focuses on critical discourse studies, especially the construction of ethnic identities in comic books. In early 2019, she completed a Micro-research fellowship on UK-Russia Early Career Academic Mobility Programme for Researchers at the International Digital Humanities Lab, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia, where she undertook minor teaching activities while working on her research project on Visualisation of world national anthems in collaboration with the lab. She is currently a full-time lecturer in intercultural communications programme at Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Acknowledgment
I would like to thank my distinguished PhD-supervisors, Professor Ruth Wodak and Professor Jonathan Culpeper, and my friend, Mandy Yu, who commented on the earlier drafts of this manuscript. I would also like to express my sincerest gratitude to the anonymous reviewers of this paper.
(1) Summary of the referential and predicational strategies in “Imperial Anthem of Iran”
| Discursive strategy | Objectives | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Referential/nomination | Discursive Construction/legitimation of Self (Us) | Pronouns: Our, we References to the country: Iran, land (kešvar/vatan/mamlekat) References to people/nation: Iranians (ʔirāniyān) References to the king/dynasty: King of kings (šāhanšah), Pahlavi, King (šah) References to people as part of us: Heirs of Kiani’s line (vārese molke kiyān) Reference to the World: world (jahān) Religious References: God (yazdān) References to Justice: Right, Justice (haq) Reference to peace: Peace (ʔāsud,ʔāsude) Reference to immortality: Long live (zende bādā), immortality (jāvedān) Ideological anthroponyms: Good deeds, Good Thoughts, Good words |
| Referential/nomination | Discursive Construction/ delegitimation of the Others (Them) | Reference to enemies: Enemies, enemy |
| Predicational strategy: What characteristics, qualities and features are attributed to social actors | Discursive construction and legitimation of Self | “WE[Iranians]” Tribute to the King
|
(2) Summary of the referential and predicational strategies in “Be forever, a lasting Iran” anthem
| Discursive strategy | Objectives | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Referential/nomination | Discursive Construction/legitimation of Self (Us) | Pronouns: Us, our References to the country: Islamic Republic (jomhuriye ʔeslāmi), Iran, homeland (vatan) References to revolution and republic: Iranian Revolution, Islamic republic, republic Religious references: God, faith and the world, Quran, religion References to freedom: Freedom References to people as part of us: Warriors of the homeland Reference to the World: World Reference to war: battle Reference to immortality: Forever, lasting Metaphoric references: The palace of oppression, Hand of God, image of our future, Quran’s shadow, a hard black night, The sun of our fortune Similes: Freedom like flowers in our soil |
| Predicational Strategy: What characteristics, qualities and features are attributed to social actors | Discursive construction and legitimation of Self | Tribute to the Islamic Republic and the revolution:
|
(3) Summary of the referential and predicational strategies in “The eastern sun” anthem
| Discursive strategy | Objectives | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Referential/nomination | Discursive Construction/legitimation of Self (Us) | Pronouns: Our, your References to the country: Islamic Republic of Iran Reference to month: Bahman Religious references: Believers, faith, Imam References to justice, freedom and independence: Believers in justice, Freedom, independence References to people as part of us: Imam, Martyrs Reference to immortality: Enduring, continuing, eternal Metaphorical reference: Eastern Sun |
| Predicational strategy: What characteristics, qualities and features are attributed to social actors | Discursive construction and legitimation of Self | Tribute to the Islamic Republic of Iran:
|
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Supplementary Material
The online version of this article offers supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/text-2019-0219).
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Full Length Articles
- The ‘sun’ shinning upon the ‘ever-lasting’ country: a diachronic analysis of Iranian national anthems during the 20th century
- All you need is love: metaphors of love in 1946–2016 Billboard year-end number-one songs
- Managing Latin: support and intratextual translation as mediation strategies in the history of English
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Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Full Length Articles
- The ‘sun’ shinning upon the ‘ever-lasting’ country: a diachronic analysis of Iranian national anthems during the 20th century
- All you need is love: metaphors of love in 1946–2016 Billboard year-end number-one songs
- Managing Latin: support and intratextual translation as mediation strategies in the history of English
- Text formulations as practices of demonstrating understanding in dialogic reading
- The intertextual nature of embedded email communication for contract negotiation activities
- Multimodal persuasive strategies in product pitches
