Public Value and Language: with special reference to the Holy <i>Quran</i> and Ferdousi‘s <i>Shahnameha</i>

Language is a medium for exchanging views with others and a tool for expressing one s views, thoughts, understandings and realizations in verbal or written forms. There are thousands of types of languages that have developed throughout the history of human civilization. Linguists classified the languages in various ways with different definitions and nomenclatures and the process of development is still active today though it has been accelerated through the usage of modern technologies and electronic mediums such as: the Internet, Facebook, Google etc. Languages have an invaluable impact on both a particular individual - man or woman - and human society as a whole. History of the development of languages dates back to the emergence of human beings in this planet. With increasing population growth, gradually the size and shape of human families expanded. Such expansion over the ages resulted in the emergence of locality and or localities - villages and cities which, over the millenniums, finally led to the evolution of human civilization. Languages on the other hand reached its zenith and spread among the population in tandem with the development of human society. Initially, there was a particular language or languages for each locality and later on many variants emerged due to the amalgamation of people from various locations through short or long term travels for personal reasons. The need to exchange views with each other using a medium of expressions familiar to all fostered the growth of different languages. In addition, religions and Holy Scriptures as well as culture for its sublime public value, also played a potential role in this process of expanding languages, literatures and cultures. Accordingly, the Holy Scriptures, novels, dramas, songs, poems etcetera, are of immense public value as these have always influenced the minds, thought generating processes and imagination of the masses while simultaneously narrating natural beauties. This paper is the first of its kind to address the points mentioned above with a special reference to the linguistic and literary tradition of the Holy Quran and the practice of the Shahnameh of Ferdousi, written in Persian, using both primary and secondary sources. It will also focus on the impact of cultural, literary and spiritual dimensions on public values and its effect on human society.</br></br> Key Words: Public value, language, al-Quran, Ferdousi疝s Shahnameh, Persian language and literature, society and culture, natural beauty