Taarof

Common card · No. 293130

Taarof or tarof (Persian: تعارف) is a Persian word that refers to an Iranian form of civility or art of etiquette that emphasizes both deference and social rank. Taarof is a ritual politeness that levels the playing field and promotes equality in a hierarchical culture. Taarof between friends, or a host and guest, emphasizes the value of friendship as a priority to everything else in the world. Another understanding is that taarof is a way of managing social relations with decorous manners. It could be used positively, as a basis for mutual goodwill, or negatively, as "a social or political weapon that confuses the recipient and puts him at a disadvantage". Those who are intimately familiar with Iranian culture seem to agree that taarof is one of the most fundamental things to understand about Iranian culture. According to scholar William O. Beeman, "Taarof is an extraordinarily difficult concept encompassing a broad complex of behaviors which mark and underscore differences in social...

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