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The Tajiks are in terms of language, culture, and history closely related to the Persian-speakers of Iran. As a self-designation, the term Tajik, which earlier on had been more or less pejorative, has become acceptable only during the last decades, particularly as a result of Soviet administration in Central Asia. Alternative names for the Tajiks are Fārsī (Persian), Fārsīwān (Persian-speaker), and Dīhgān (cf. , literally "farmer or settled villager", in a wider sense "settled" in contrast to "nomadic"). The Tajiks of China, although known by the name Tajik, speak Eastern Iranian languages and are distinct from Persian Tajiks. |