Ahmad Hosseinzadeh Aug 24, 2012:

Dear Mr. Haerian,
Thank you for your compliment, it's really an honor for me. I'd like to bring some sources for my discussion. For the meaning of فحوا/فحواء/فحوی, I'd like to refer to Loghatnameh.

http://www.loghatnaameh.org/dehkhodaworddetail-9de3db9fc82a4...

http://www.loghatnaameh.org/dehkhodaworddetail-cc71d409d2674...

http://www.loghatnaameh.org/dehkhodaworddetail-d961b3f49d754...

For what I mentioned about the dictionary usage, I bring an example from the Millennium Dic. (http://www.farhangmoaser.com/html/fa/mediadb/frontend/item/v...

museum piece: به شوخی، به طعنه) عتیقه؛ آدم آنتیک

Maybe what Simon has mentioned is taken from an older dictionary, but this kind of usage of the word فحوا is not common in modern dictionaries.

Mahmood Haerian-Ardakani Aug 23, 2012:

Dear Ahmad:

Thank you for your constant presence in Kudoz, and your clever comments, you make to fortify the main pillar of our native language, i.e. vocabulary.

I don't agree with you on this issue, without receiving a solid reference. I, myself consult with different sources before answering each of these questions. As Saadi said: "اول اندیشه وانگهی گفتار// پای‌بست آمده‌است و پس، دیوار".

Unfortunately, my taste and perception of the language, as well as my research oriented habit, is such overwhelmed by the majority of the participants in "Kudoz"; that I am doomed to receive the lowest point in this contest.

I am not worried about losing the martial benefits attached to these points, but more concerned about the degrading of the oppressed Farsi in the battle for preserving its heritage in both vocabulary and structure against the constant seepage of the foreign languages, especially English as an international language.

Ahmad Hosseinzadeh Aug 23, 2012:

Incorrect use of فحوا فحوا means "meaning" as correctly mentioned by Mr. Haerian, but in a context like yours (which seems to be a dictionary), it's mostly stated as لحن طعنه‌آمیز or simply طعنه‌آمیز.