The reflexive pronoun “khode khod” in Ghazaliyate Shams (A study of the reflection of a dialectal attribute)

In his literary works, Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī paid great attention to the native language of his family, which originated in the Vakhsh, Balkh, and eastern Khorasan regions. Therefore, understanding the native dialects of these regions is crucial for a more thorough appreciation of his works. In Ghazaliyate Shams  , alongside “khod”, “ khish” and “khishtan”, the pronoun “khode khod” is also sometimes observed. This study aims to investigate the contemporary usage of“khode khod.”. To achieve this, the study first presents evidences the usage of “khode khod” in Ghazaliyate Shams  and other relevant texts. It then demonstrates its continuity and survival in certain modern dialects. Subsequently, with the help of the author's dialectal intuition, its various aspects are carefully examined. The findings indicate that, "khode khod" in the Persian dialects common in Balkh, Herat, the Hazara regions of Afghanistan, eastern South Khorasan and eastern Khorasan Razavi, and some ancient texts belonging to these regions, is a "reflexive pronoun" and can assume the  grammatical cases of direct object, indirect object, and genitive case  in a sentence.It is also necessary to state that stylistics and linguists agree on the importance of paying attention to the differences resulting from geographical variables in Persian varieties and styles.