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Language Information By Source

Wakhi
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Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

37,570

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

Most young people speak Urdu

More about speakers

12,500 in Tajikistan, 9500 in Afghanistan, 11,770 in Pakistan, and 3800 in China.

Year of info

2009

Location and Context

Countries

Tajikistan and Afghanistan: On both banks of the Panj River (Upper Amu, Oxus); Pakistan

Coordinates

No data

Location description

On the Tajikistan side, Wakhi villages extend from Namadgut to Ratm, interspersed with a few Tajiki settlements. On the Afghanistan side, settlement from Paltur? near Ishkashem, to Sarhad on the upper reaches of the Wakhan River. In Pakistan, the main settlements are in Gojal, including part of upper Hunza valley and the Shimshal and Chapursan valleys; in Ishkoman; and the upper Yarkhun valley in Chitral.

Government support

None

Institutional support

None

Speakers' attitudes

Formerly negative, but now positive

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

Modified IPA; Perso-Arabic

Other writing systems

On the Tajikistan side, Wakhi villages extend from Namadgut to Ratm, interspersed with a few Tajiki settlements. On the Afghanistan side, settlement from Paltur? near Ishkashem, to Sarhad on the upper reaches of the Wakhan River. In Pakistan, the main settlements are in Gojal, including part of upper Hunza valley and the Shimshal and Chapursan valleys; in Ishkoman; and the upper Yarkhun valley in Chitral.

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

Tajik Persian, Shughni, Dari Persian, Pashto, Urdu

Domains of other languages

Official domains, mass media and education

More on context

In Tajikistan, the language of communication, writing, and education is Tajik Persian. Wakhi oral tradition is also bilingual in Wakhi and Tajik and many Wakhis also speak Shughni, the second lingua franca of the Pamir region. Schooling is obligatory for everyone in Tajikistan and the medium of education is Tajiki, leaving only old women and young children monolingual. This diminishes the role of Wakhi in public contexts, though it is still preferred in domestic settings. Until very recently, the Wakhi speakers in Tajikistan felt themselves a marginalized group with negative attitudes toward their language; however the poems published in Reinhold (1992a) indicate that there is an incipient awakening of interest in local languages. In Afghanistan Wakhis also speak Dari Persian, or Pashto. However, literacy is not widespread and the admixture of other elements into Wakhi is less than in Tajikistan. Almost 100%% of Wakhi-speaking children in Hunza now attend school, which exerts greater influence on language than any single factor in the past. This has resulted in an enormous literacy gap between younger and older generations. All school-going children and many young women up to the age of 20 know Urdu, whereas hardly any of the older generation do. Nevertheless, it is an increasingly vital language, and speakers have a very positive attitude toward their language, evidenced by the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association.

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

75,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2010

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

37.1603,74.9047

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

31,670

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

9,100 in Pakistan. 4,500–6,000 Gojal, 2,000 Ishkoman, 200 Yasin, 900 Yarkhun (1992), plus refugees. 9,570 in Afghanistan (2000). Ethnic population: 18,000 in Afghanistan, 20,000 in Tajikistan (A. Kibrik 1990). 7,000 in Tajikistan (1993 UBS). 6,000 in China. 41,028 in Tajik nationality (2000 census).

Year of info

2009

Location and Context

Countries

Tajikistan; Afghanistan; China; Pakistan

Coordinates

No data

Location description

Gorno-Badakhshan, Pamir Mountains (Tajikistan). Pamir Mountains, east of Ishkashim, Panj River left bank in Wakhan Corridor, as far as Sarhad village. 64 villages (Afghanistan). Xinjiang Ughur Autonomous Region, Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County (China). Northeasternmost part of Chitral, called Baroghil area; in glacier neighborhood. Gojal in upper Hunza valley, Gulmit to the Chinese and Afghanistan borders, and Shimshal and Chupursan valleys, upper Yarkhun valley of Chitral, and upper Ishkoman valley (Pakistan).

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

Gorno-Badakhshan, Pamir Mountains (Tajikistan). Pamir Mountains, east of Ishkashim, Panj River left bank in Wakhan Corridor, as far as Sarhad village. 64 villages (Afghanistan). Xinjiang Ughur Autonomous Region, Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County (China). Northeasternmost part of Chitral, called Baroghil area; in glacier neighborhood. Gojal in upper Hunza valley, Gulmit to the Chinese and Afghanistan borders, and Shimshal and Chupursan valleys, upper Yarkhun valley of Chitral, and upper Ishkoman valley (Pakistan).

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

37.178789, 73.982639

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Threatened

Native Speakers Worldwide

>9,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2006

Location and Context

Countries

Pakistan

Coordinates

No data

Location description

Northern ends of Hunza & Chitral

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

Northern ends of Hunza & Chitral

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

<75,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

Speakers present in Tajikstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and western Xinjiang

Year of info

2018

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Endangered

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

5,000

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

In 1939 there were 4,500 people. The exact number of the Wakhs is unknown at present but it is thought there are about 5,000--7,000 Wakhs in the ex-Soviet Union, 5,000 of them in the villages on the territory of the former Wakhan. Approximately the same number lives elsewhere, although, according to A. Gryunberg and J. Steblin-Kamenevsky, there are altogether nearly 20,000 Wakhs, by other counts, no more than 15,000.

Year of info

1993

Location and Context

Countries

Tajikistan and Afghanistan

Coordinates

No data

Location description

The Wakhs live on the upper reaches of the River Pyandzh, on both the right and the left bank. The settlements begin with the village (qishlaq) of Langar-Kishni, on the upper reaches of the river. The lower villages (Namadgut or Namadgat, Kozide) are located at the confluence of the Wakhandarya and the Pamir rivers.

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

none

Other writing systems

The Wakhs live on the upper reaches of the River Pyandzh, on both the right and the left bank. The settlements begin with the village (qishlaq) of Langar-Kishni, on the upper reaches of the river. The lower villages (Namadgut or Namadgat, Kozide) are located at the confluence of the Wakhandarya and the Pamir rivers.

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

Tajik

Domains of other languages

Mutual communication, writing

More on context

No data

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2005

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

36.5,72.0

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

31,666

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Media Resources

No resources

No resources

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  1. Endangered Languages Catalogue Project. Compiled by research teams at University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Institute for Language Information and Technology (LINGUIST List) at Eastern Michigan University
    2012. "Endangered Languages Catalogue Project. Compiled By Research Teams At University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Institute For Language Information and Technology (LINGUIST List) At Eastern Michigan University."
  2. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger
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  3. World Oral Literature Project
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    http://www.oralliterature.org
  4. The Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire
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    http://www.eki.ee/books/redbook
  5. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)
    Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)
    http://www.ethnologue.com/
  6. The World Atlas of Language Structures
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  7. Glottolog
    "Glottolog." Online: http://www.glottolog.org/glottolog/.
    http://www.glottolog.org/glottolog/
  8. Wakhi
    Elena Bashir. 2009. "Wakhi." In The Iranian Languages, edited by Gernot Windfuhr. Routledge.
  9. Wakhi
    Backstrom, Peter C. 1992. "Wakhi." In Languages of northern areas, edited by Peter C. Backstrom and Carla J. Radloff. 2: 57-74. National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University and Summer Institute of Linguistics.
  10. Contes du Yasin: Introduction au Bourouchaski du Yasin avec grammaire et dictionnaire analytique
    Tiffou, É. and J. Pesot. 1989. "Contes Du Yasin: Introduction Au Bourouchaski Du Yasin Avec Grammaire Et Dictionnaire Analytique." 16: 170. Paris: Peeters.
  11. Essai grammatical et dictionnaire wakhi-français suivi de dictionnaire français-wakhi
    Grünberg, A. L. and I. M. Stéblin-Kamensky. 1988. "Essai Grammatical Et Dictionnaire Wakhi-français Suivi De Dictionnaire Français-wakhi." 2: Paris: Éditions de la Maison des Sciences de l'Homme.
  12. Einführung in die Wakhi-Sprache & Glossar
    Kieffer, C. 1978. "Einführung in Die Wakhi-Sprache & Glossar." In Grosser Pamir: Österreichisches Forschungsunternehmen 1975 in den Wakhan-Pamir/Afghanistan, edited by Roger Senarclens de Grancy and Robert Kostka. 345-374. Graz: Akad. Dr. u. Vlg.-Anstalt.
  13. The Wakhi Language
    Lorimer, D. L. R. 1958. "The Wakhi Language." School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London.
  14. La langue wakhi. Volume 2: Essai grammatical et dictionnaire wakhi-français français wakhi
    1988. "La Langue Wakhi. Volume 2: Essai Grammatical Et Dictionnaire Wakhi-français Français Wakhi." edited by A. L. et al. Grünberg. Fondation de la Maison des Sciences de l'Homme.
  15. Language policy, multilingualism and language vitality in Pakistan
    Tariq Rahman. 2006. "Language Policy, Multilingualism and Language Vitality in Pakistan." In Lesser-known languages of South Asia: status and policies, case studies and applications of information technology, edited by Anju Saxena and Lars Borin. 73-106. Mouton de Gruyter.
  16. Language vitality and development among the Wakhi people of Tajikistan
    Abbess, Elisabeth and Müller, Katja and Tiessen, Gabriela and Tiessen, Calvin. 2008. Language vitality and development among the Wakhi people of Tajikistan. SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2008-011.
    http://www-01.sil.org/silesr/2008/silesr2008-011.pdf