Citizendia

Language families in Pakistan are mainly Indo-Aryan and Iranic with a minor language belonging to Dravidian (Brahui) and one language isolate (Burushaski)
Language families in Pakistan are mainly Indo-Aryan and Iranic with a minor language belonging to Dravidian (Brahui) and one language isolate (Burushaski)

English is official language of Pakistan while Urdu is national language despite not being a native language or being the mother tongue of any native group in the country. The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in A language isolate, in the absolute sense is a Natural language with no demonstrable genealogical (or "genetic" relationship with other living languages that is Burushaski (بروشسکی - burū́šaskī is a Language isolate not known to be related to any other language of the world English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised A national language is a Language (or language variant, ie Dialect) which has some connection - de facto or de jure - with [1] Many other languages are spoken within the country including Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki, Balochi and Brahui. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in Most of the languages of Pakistan are part of Indo-Aryan languages family with Iranian languages most significant in west as well as Dardic languages in north & northwest. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. The Dardic languages are a group of Indo-Iranian languages spoken in eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and in India in the region of Jammu

Contents

History

Urdu was chosen as a national language of Pakistan to act as a lingua franca amongst the various ethnic/cultural groups & has historical significance as language developed during the Islamic conquests in the Subcontinent during the Mughal Empire and was chosen as neutral language to unite various groups of Pakistan. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most However the official language and that used most often by the government is English. Many educational institutes and universities use English only. Many other languages are spoken in Pakistan regional tongues from largest to smallest are as follows: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Saraiki, Baluchi, Hindko, Brahui, Burushaski, Balti, Shina, Khowar, etc. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Hindko (هندکو /Hindkoŭ/ also Hindku, Hinko, or Lahnda, لَیہندا is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken in North Western The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in Burushaski (بروشسکی - burū́šaskī is a Language isolate not known to be related to any other language of the world Balti ( بلتی) is a Language spoken in Baltistan, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan and adjoining parts of Jammu and Kashmir Shina (also known as Tshina is a Dardic language and is spoken by a plurality of people in Northern Areas of Pakistan. Khowar,(کھوار)also known as Chitrali is a Dardic language spoken by 250000 people in Chitral in Northwest Pakistan, in Yasin Valley . Pakistan has about 1 million native speakers of Persian. Arabic is popular due to religious significance. Persian continues to be an important literary language in Pakistan.

Demographics

Urdu (National language)

Urdu is Pakistan's national language and has been promoted as token of national unity. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised A national language is a Language (or language variant, ie Dialect) which has some connection - de facto or de jure - with More than 95% of Pakistanis can speak or understand Urdu as their second or third language in many cases, though about than 9% of the population of Pakistan has Urdu as its mother tongue. It is written in modified form of Arabic alphabet. The Arabic alphabet is the script used for writing several languages of Asia and Africa such as Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. First poetry in Urdu was by Persian poet Amir Khusro (1253–1325), first Urdu book Wo Maglis was written in 1728 & first time word "Urdu" was used by Sirajuddin Arzoo in 1751. Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn al-Dīn Khusrow ( Hindi: hi अबुल हसन यमीनुद्दीन ख़ुसरो (1253-1325 CE better known as Amīr Khusrow Urdu literature has a long and colorful history that is inextricably tied to the development of that very language Urdu, in which it is written

English (Official language)

English is Pakistan's official language widely used in government but Pakistan's Constitution and laws are written in Urdu. 50 percent of people in Pakistan have basic understanding of English.

Major languages

Punjabi (provincial language)

Punjabi is spoken as first language by 45% of Pakistanis. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an It is an important language since it is, if counted with Seriaki, spoken by well over half of all Pakistanis. However, Punjabi does not have any official status in Pakistan. About 70% of Pakistanis know how to speak Punjabi. Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Punjabis lineage can be traced through Lahori and Multani during Muslim period (700 to 1860).

Punjabi dialects:

This dialect is "the standard Punjabi language" and spoken in the heart of Punjab where most of the Punjabi population lives. The main districts are Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and some parts of Jhelum in Pakistani Punjab and Gurdaspur and Amritsar in Indian Punjab. ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Sheikhupura or Shekhupura ( Urdu: شيخوپورہ formerly Kot Dayal Das (Urdu کوٹ دیال داس is an industrial city in the Gujranwala ( is a city in Punjab, Pakistan with a population of 1132509 (1998 census Sialkot ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in Gujrat ( Urdu / Punjabi:) is a city in Pakistan and is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of Gurdaspur is a city in the state of Punjab, situated in the North-West part of the Republic of India. Amritsar (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ meaning The Lake of the Holy Nectar, is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India.

This dialect is spoken in the central Pakistani Punjab, stretches from districts Khanewal to Jhang and includes Faisalabad and Chiniot. Jhangochi (جھنگوچی is the oldest and most idiosyncretic dialect of the Punjabi language. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of Khanewal ( Urdu: خانیوال) is the capital city of Khanewal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. ( is a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Chiniot ( Urdu: چنیوٹ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

This dialect is spoken in Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab and Mandi Bahauddin districts. Mianwali ( Urdu: میانوالی) is the capital city of Mianwali District in the north-west of Punjab Province, Pakistan Sargodha (Urduis a city located in Punjab province Pakistan. It is located in northeast Pakistan to the north-west of Lahore by the lower Jhelum Khushab ( Urdu: خوشاب is a of Khushab District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Mandi Bahauddin (منڈی بہاؤالدین is the capital of Mandi Bahauddin District in the Punjab province Pakistan.

The area where Pothowari is spoken extends in the north from Muzaffarabad to as far south as Jhelum, Gujar Khan, Chakwal and Rawalpindi. Potwari or Pothohari can refer to An inhabitant of Potwar (Pothohar a plateau in northern Pakistan The Potwari language (Pothohari Potwari or Pothohari can refer to An inhabitant of Potwar (Pothohar a plateau in northern Pakistan The Potwari language (Pothohari Muzaffarabad is the capital of the Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir. Gujar Khan ( گوجرخان) is a city located in Rawalpindi District, Punjab, Pakistan. Chakwal ( Urdu: چکوال) is the main town of Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan and is located 90 km south-east of the federal ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province [phr] 49,440 (2000 WCD). Murree Hills north of Rawalpindi, and east to Bhimber. Murree city ( Urdu: مری) is a popular Hill station and a summer resort especially for the residents of Islamabad, and for the cities Bhimber is the chief town of Bhimber District, Azad Kashmir. The town is located at 32°58'60N 74°4'0E and is situated on the border with Azad Kashmir and Pakistan Poonchi is east of Rawalakot. Rawalakot (راولا کوٹ is a city in Azad Kashmir, and is the capital of Poonch District. Potwari is in the plains around Rawalpindi. Alternate names: Potwari, Pothohari, Potohari, Chibhali, Dhundi-Kairali. The Dhundi-Kairali language is spoken throughout the Circle Bakote, and the joining Murree Hills and Galyat areas Dialects: Pahari (Dhundi-Kairali), Pothwari (Potwari), Chibhali, Punchhi (Poonchi), Mirpuri. Pahari means 'hill language' referring to a string of divergent dialects, some of which may be separate languages. A dialect chain with Panjabi and Hindko. Closeness to western Pahari is unknown. Lexical similarity 76% to 83% among varieties called 'Pahari', 'Potwari', and some called 'Hindko' in Mansehra,Muzaffarabad, and Jammun. Mansehra (مانسہرہ city is located at in Mansehra District, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Muzaffarabad is the capital of the Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northern zone, Western Pahari.

This dialect is spoken in districts of Peshawar, Attock, Nowshehra, Mansehra, Balakot, Abbotabad and Murree and the lower half of Neelum District and Muzafarabad. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered Attock ( Urdu:) the headquarters of Attock District, is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Nowshehra or Naushera is a town and a Notified area committee in Rajauri district Mansehra (مانسہرہ city is located at in Mansehra District, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Balakot (بالاکوٹ is a town in Mansehra District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Abbottabad ( Pashto: ایبٹ آباد) is the principal city of Abbottabad District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan Murree city ( Urdu: مری) is a popular Hill station and a summer resort especially for the residents of Islamabad, and for the cities Neelum District is one of the eight districts of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. .

Spoken in the eastern part of Indian Punjab. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. Main districts are Ludhiana, Ambala, Bathinda, Ganganagar, Malerkotla, Fazilka, Ferozepur. Ludhiana (ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ | लुधियाना is a city and a Municipal corporation in Ludhiana district in the Indian state of WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ambala ( Hindi: अम्बाला Punjabi ਅੰਬਾਲਾ) is a city and a Bathinda (ਬਠਿੰਡਾ is one of the oldest cities in Punjab and the current administrative headquarters of Bathinda District. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Malerkotla is a city and a Municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Fazilka is a city and a Municipal council in Firozpur district in the state of WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Firozpur (or Ferozepur, Ferozepore, फिरोज़पुर) is a city in Firozpur Malwa is the southern and central part of present day Indian Punjab. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. Also includes the Punjabi speaking northern areas of Haryana, viz. Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Haryana (हरियाणा Punjabi: ਹਰਿਆਣਾ hərɪjaːɳaː is a state in northern India. Ambala, Hissar, Sirsa, Kurukshetra etc. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ambala ( Hindi: अम्बाला Punjabi ਅੰਬਾਲਾ) is a city and a Hisar ( Hindi: ‍हिसार( Punjabi: ਅੰਬਾਲਾ previously spelled as Hissar is a city in the state of Haryana, in northwestern Sirsa may refer to Sirsa Haryana Sirsa Uttar Pradesh SpecialShortpages Kurukshetra ( Hindi: कुरुक्षेत्र is the name of a City in Kurukshetra District of the Indian state of Haryana हरियाणा

The word "Do Aabi" means "the land between to rivers" and this dialects is spoken between the rivers of Beas and Sutlej. The Sutlej River (alternatively spelled as Satluj River (ਸਤਲੁਜ शतद्रु or सुतुद्री, ستلج and सतलुज is the longest It includes Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur districts. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jalandhar (ਜਲੰਧਰ Hindi:) previously known as Jullundur, is an ancient WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Hoshiarpur is a city and a Municipal council in Hoshiarpur district in the Indian

Saraiki or Multani (also Lahndi by some) and perhaps differs from Punjabi more than any other dialect. Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Multani becomes more and more different as you move down south, as the influence of Sindhi increases, it is also known as Saraiki there. Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Saraiki itself is Sindhi word and means northern. See the map of Saraiki language: Saraiki Area's City of Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar, Dera Ismail Khan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Layyah and Mianwali. ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District Bahawalpur (also Bhawalpur or Bhawulpore) (بہاولپور is the capital city of Bahawalpur District located in, Punjab Pakistan Rahimyar Khan or Rahim Yar Khan (رحیم یار خان is a famous city in the south of Punjab (Pakistan Rajanpur ( Urdu: راجن پور) is a city and the headquarters of the Rajanpur District and tehsil in the extreme southwest part of Punjab, Dera Ghazi Khan (ڈیرہ غازی خان is located in Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan. Bhakkar ( Urdu: بھکر Seraiki Bakhar: بکھر is the city principle city of Bhakkar District, Punjab, Pakistan Dera Ismail Khan (ډیرہ اسماعیل خان is a City in North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. Khanewal ( Urdu: خانیوال) is the capital city of Khanewal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Muzaffargarh ( Urdu: مظفر گڑھ) is a town in southwestern Punjab, Pakistan located on the bank of the Chenab River. Sukkur ( Urdu:سکھر Sindhi:سکر formerly Aror ( Sanskrit: अरोड Urdu: اروڑ is the third largest Jacobabad ( Sindhi: جیکب آباد is the capital city of Jacobabad District, Sindh, Pakistan. Layyah ( Urdu: لیہ) is a city located in Layyah District, Punjab, Pakistan. Mianwali ( Urdu: میانوالی) is the capital city of Mianwali District in the north-west of Punjab Province, Pakistan

Sindhi (provincial language)

Sindhi (سنڌي ) is spoken as a first language by about 15% of Pakistanis, in Sindh and parts of Balochistan and is the second most common language in Pakistan. Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان Sindhi has very rich literature and is used in schools. Sindhi language contains Arabic words and is affected by Arabic language to a great extent. The reason being Arab ruled Sindh for more than 150 years. Muhammad bin Qasim entered Sindh and conquered it in 712 AD. Muhammad bin Qasim Al-Thaqafi (محمد بن قاسم (c 31 December, 695 &ndash 18 July, 715) born Muhammad bin Qasim bin Yusuf Sakifi He remained here for three years and set up Arabic rule in the area. According to historians, the social fabric of Sindh comprises elements of Arabic society. Sindhi is spoken in Pakistan and is also one of the constitutional languages of India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country It is spoken by about 20 million people in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh, and by about 2½ million more across the border in India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country In Pakistan it is written in the Arabic script with several additional letters to accommodate special sounds. The Arabic alphabet is the script used for writing several languages of Asia and Africa such as Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. The largest Sindhi-speaking city is Hyderabad, Pakistan. ( Urdu, Sindhi:; Haidarābād is located in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

Sindhi literature is also spiritual in nature and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689–1752) was one of its legendary poets who wrote Sassi Punnun, Umar Marvi in his famous book "Shah Jo Risalo". Sindhi language ( Sindhi: سنڌي) is Ancient and rich in Literature. Sassui Punnun (or Sassui Panhu or Sassui Punhun) ( Urdu: سسی پنوں; Sindhi: سسئي پنھون Hindi: सस्सी-पुन्हू Umar Marvi (عمر مارويis a Sindh love story written in Shah Jo Risalo. Bhitai Shah Jo Risalo (Sindhi شاھ جو رسالو is the name of the compiled verses of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.

Pashto (provincial language)

Pashto (پشتو) is spoken as a first language by 15% of Pakistanis, mostly in the North-West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and in Balochistan as well as by immigrants to the eastern provinces who are often not counted due to census irregularities. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. The Federally Administered Tribal Areas ( FATA) in Pakistan are areas outside the four provinces bordering Afghanistan, comprising a region Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان Additionally, Afghan refugees are often outside the census count, but appear to be largely Pashto speakers from Afghanistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Pashto speakers are almost 15. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as 42% of Pakistan's population and more than 50% in Afghanistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Pashto has no written literary traditions although it has a rich oral tradition. Oral tradition, oral culture and oral lore is a way for a society to transmit history, literature, law and other Knowledges There are two major dialect patterns within which the various individual dialects may be classified; these are Pakhto, which is the northern (Peshawar) variety, and the softer Pashto spoken in southern areas around Quetta. ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered Khushal Khan Khatak (1613–1689) and Rehman Baba (1633–1708) were two important poets in the Pashto language. Khushal Khan Khattak (1613 - 1689 (Pashto خوشحال خان خټک was a Pashtun warrior Poet and tribal chief of the Khattak tribe Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as

Saraiki (regional language)

Saraiki is closely related to Punjabi (See Classification, below) Spoken as a first language by 10% of Pakistanis, mostly in southern districts of Punjab (see Saraikis). Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of The Seraiki people ( Perso-Arabic: سرائيکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ or Multani people ( Perso-Arabic: ملتانی Devanagari All most 10% of the population of Pakistan speak Saraiki language. Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Dialects tend to blend into each other, into Punjabi to the east, and Sindhi to the south. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Until recently it was considered to be a dialect of Punajbi. 85% lexical similarity with Sindhi; 68% with Odki and Sansi. In Linguistics, the lexicon (from Greek Λεξικόν of a language is its Vocabulary, including its words and expressions Dialects are Derawali, Khatki, Jangli or Jatki and Riasti or Bahawalpuri. Derawali is an Indo-European language spoken in western parts of Punjab Pakistan; it is a dialect of Saraiki (western Punjabi language Rachnavi (also called Jhangochi and Jangli) is the oldest and purest dialect of the Punjabi language. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an

Balochi (provincial language)

Balochi (بلوچی) is spoken as a first language by 4% of Pakistanis, mostly in Balochistan, Sindh and southern Punjab. Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of Baluchi language is spoken by almost 4% of the Pakistani population and is very close to the Persian language itself. The name Baluchi or Balochi is not found before the 10th century. It is believed that the language was brought to its present location in a series of migrations from Northern Iran, near the Caspian Shores. Northern Iran includes the Southern Caspian regions of Iran, and represents Hyrcania: Gilan and Mazandaran, Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering ( CASPIAN) is a USA Grass-roots Consumer group dedicated to fighting Supermarket "loyalty" Rakshani is the major dialect group in terms of numbers. Sarhaddi, is a sub-dialect of Rakshani. Other sub-dialects are qalati, Chagai-kharani, Panjguri. Eastern Hill Baluchi or Northern Baluchi is very different from the rest.

Other languages

Numerous other languages are spoken by relatively small numbers of people, especially in some of the more remote and isolated places in, for example, the Northern Areas of Pakistan [1]. The Northern Areas ( Urdu:,) is officially referred to by the government of Pakistan as the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA These include:

  1. Burushaski - spoken in Hunza
  2. Shina - spoken in Gilgit District
  3. Khowar - spoken in Chitral
  4. Kalash - spoken in the Kalash valleys
  5. Wakhi or Xikwor - spoken in Upper Hunza Gojal valleys

Minor(Disapearing) Languages

Gujarati (regional language)

Gujarati is spoken by over a 100,000 people who arrived in Sindh from Gujarat in India at the time of independence. Burushaski (بروشسکی - burū́šaskī is a Language isolate not known to be related to any other language of the world Gilgit District is bounded by Wakhan Corridor ( Afghanistan) in the north Xinjiang ( China) in the north / northeast Skardu District Khowar,(کھوار)also known as Chitrali is a Dardic language spoken by 250000 people in Chitral in Northwest Pakistan, in Yasin Valley Chitral is a district in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan that contains the town of Chitral. Kalash or Kalasha (also known as Kalasha-mun) is an Indo-European language in the Indo-Iranian branch further classified as a Dardic The Kalash ( Nuristani: Kasivo) or Kalasha, are an ethnic group of the Hindu Kush mountain range residing in the Chitral district Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī ? Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country All Parsi (5,000-10,000), many Ismaili Muslims, and many Hindus (10,000 to 20,000) speak Gujarati. Many Parsi and Ismailis are literate in Gujarati.

Memoni/Kutchi

Memoni/Kutchi is spoken by over 500,000 Pakistani citizens who originate in eastern Sindh and the bordering regions of Kathiawad and Kutch in Gujarat India, and who settled in Pakistan at the time of independence. Language Memons speak a non-written Dialect called Memoni, a mixture of Sindhi and Kutchi which belongs to the Indic (North-Western Kachhi (also spelled Cutchi or Kachchhi) ( Urdu: کچھی) is a Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the The ancestors of present day Memons who settled few centuries ago in various part of the district of Kathiawar are now identified as simply Memons or Kathiawadi Memons Many Kachchh (also spelled as Kutch) is a District of Gujarat state in western India. Most reside in Karachi area, an important business community consist of merchants and traders, ‎industrialist professional and managers and generally holds white collar jobs. (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million They share a common tongue, Memoni, that is often classified as a dialect of Sindhi, but with a pre-domninate vocabulary from Gujarati.

Classification

Indo-Aryan

About 75% of the languages of Pakistan are classified as Indo-Aryan languages. 20% are Indo-Iranian languages and about 4% are classified as Dardic languages most notably Shina and Khowar. About 1% belong to the dravidian language family most notably Brahui.

Lahnda dialects

Punjabi, Pahari, Mirpuri, Hindko and Saraiki, all mutually intelligible, are classified by linguists as dialects of Lahnda[2], also spelled as Lehnda. Hindko (هندکو /Hindkoŭ/ also Hindku, Hinko, or Lahnda, لَیہندا is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken in North Western Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is In Linguistics, mutual intelligibility is recognized as a relationship between Languages in which speakers of different but related languages can readily understand These are also, to a lesser extent, mutually intelligible with Urdu. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Added together, speakers of these mutually-intelligible languages make up nearly two-thirds of Pakistan's population.

Iranian family of languages

Pashto and Balochi are classified as members of the Iranian family of languages. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. [3] If combined, Iranian peoples who speak Pashto, Balochi, Dari, Persian, and Wakhi comprise almost 20% of the population of Pakistan. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. Wakhi is an Indo-Iranian language in the sub-branch of Southeastern Iranian languages (see Pamir languages) Persian was the official language during Mughal times before British colonial rule. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British It is taught in many schools in Pakistan.

Dravidian

Brahui belongs to the Dravidian language family. The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in The Dravidian family of languages includes approximately 73 languages (including the four literary languages of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Brahui is a minor language of the mainly in the region of Kalat in the western province of Balochistan inhabitied by the Brahui and spoken by some 1% of the population. Brahui is heavily influenced by Baluchi and Sindhi languages in which many Brahui speakers are bilingual. Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Brahui now has rather fewer inherited Dravidian words in its lexicon and is gradually incorporating more Urdu, Balochi and even Pashto. In Linguistics, the lexicon (from Greek Λεξικόν of a language is its Vocabulary, including its words and expressions Its grammar and phonology are however clearly Dravidian.

References

  1. ^ http://www.infopak.gov.pk/BasicFacts.aspx

See also



External links

The Uddin and Begum Urdu-Hindustani Romanization scheme was proposed by the late Syed Fasih Uddin and the late Quader Unissa Begum for the Romanization of Urdu - Hindustani ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी is an adjectival form of Hindustan which originally meant people from the whole geographical region of Official languages of supra-national institutions See List of official languages by institution. Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. Kashmiri (कॉशुर کٲشُر Koshur) is a Dardic language spoken primarily in the valley of Kashmir, a region situated in the Indian state A division of the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Pakistan. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised The Urdu keyboard is any Keyboard layout for an Urdu computer and Typewriter keyboards Since the first Urdu Typewriter was made available
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