Dardic languages

The dardischen languages ​​are a subgroup of the Indo-Aryan languages ​​form a branch of Indo-European, together with the Iranian languages. The approximately 25 dardischen languages ​​are spoken by about 6 million people in the Hindu Kush region of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Indian and Pakistani -controlled Kashmir.

The 4.6 million speakers, by far the largest dardische language and the only one with a literary tradition is mainly in North India ( Kashmir Province ) Spoken Kashmiri. Other important dardische languages ​​of Pakistan are the Shina with 500 thousand speakers in Gilgit area, the Khowar (220 thousand) in Chitral, Indus Kohistani (220 thousand) in Kohistan and Pashai (110 thousand) in the province Kunar.

Scope and positioning of Dardischen

It is not finally resolved until today which languages ​​to include the " Dardischen ". Was expected until the 1970s, the Nuristani languages ​​to - the former name Kafiri languages ​​is no longer used because it means language of the infidels - so today tends the majority of the researchers there, the Nuristani languages ​​third as a separate branch of the Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan and Iranian equally regarded in addition to and do not assign them to the dardischen languages. At issue then is still the position of the ( remaining ) dardischen languages ​​within the Neuindoarischen. While some researchers regard it as a sub-branch of the Northwest Indian (about together with Lahnda, Sindhi and Dogri ), others are among the languages ​​of North India (along with Nepali, Kumauni and Garhwali ), the positioning of the Dardischen recognized as an independent branch of the Indo-Aryan through. Give you the following situation, which is shared by the majority of researchers:

  • Indo-European Indo- Iranian Iranian
  • Nuristani
  • Indo-Aryan Dardisch
  • Other branches of the Indo-Aryan

Classification of dardischen languages

This classification of dardischen languages ​​and the language names used are based on the representations of the individual languages ​​in Sociolinguistic Survey of Northern Pakistan and Studies in Languages ​​of Northern Pakistan. Immediate source is the web link below. The classification in Ethnologue is partially obsolete, and differentiation language - dialect does not conform to recent research results.

  • Dardisch ( 23 languages ​​with 6 million speakers ) Kunar: widespread in the catchment area of ​​the Kunar River in western Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan Pashai (110 thousand speakers)
  • Gawarbati (10 thousand)
  • Dameli (5 thousand)
  • Shumasti (1 thousand)
  • Khowar ( Chitrali ) (240 thousand)
  • Kalasha (5 thousand)
  • Indus Kohistani (220 thousand)
  • Kalami Kohistani ( Bashkarik, Garwi ) (40 thousand)
  • Torwali (60 thousand)
  • Bateri (30 thousand)
  • Kalkoti (4 thousand)
  • Chilisso (3 thousand)
  • Gowro (200)
  • Wotapuri - Katarqalai (2 thousand)
  • Tirahi (100)
  • Shina (500 thousand)
  • Brokshat ( Brokskat, Brokpa ) (3 thousand)
  • Ushojo (2 thousand)
  • Dumaki (500) [ is also considered as Domari dialect ]
  • Phalura ( Dangarik ) (10 thousand)
  • Sawi ( Sau ) (3 thousand)
  • Kashmiri ( Keshur ) (4.6 million, 4.5 million in India, Pakistan 100 thousand)
Shina language Khowar language Sindhi language Dogri language SIL International
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