Kamkata-viri language

Infobox Language
name= Kamkata-viri
familycolor= Indo-European
states= Afghanistan
region= Kunar Province
speakers= 18,700 (Ethnologue)
fam2=Indo-Iranian
fam3=Nuristani
nation="none"
iso1="none"|iso2="none"|iso3= bsh

Kamkata-viri, the largest Nuristani language, contains the main dialects Kata-vari, Kamviri and Mumviri. Kata-vari and Kamviri are often defined as two separate languages, but according to linguist [http://users.sedona.net/~strand/Nuristani/Nuristanis1.html Richard Strand] they form one language.

The Kamkata-viri language is spoken by the Kata, Kom, Mumo, Ksto and some smaler former Black-Robed tribes in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are dialectal differences of the Kamkata-viri speakers of Pakistan. Most used alternative names are "Bashgali" or "Kati", which derive from Khowar.

Kamkata-viri is spoken by 18,700 Kata people (15,000 in Afghanistan, just over 3,700 in Pakistan), and approximately 5,500 (or up to 10,000) Kom.

It belongs to the Indo-European language family, and is on the Nuristani group of the Indo-Iranian branch.

Literacy rates are low: below 1% for people who have it as a first language, and between 15% to 25% for people who have it as a second language. The Kativiri dialect can be heard on radio in Afghanistan.

There are four main dialects: Eastern Kata-vari, Western Kata-vari, Kamviri and Mumviri, the last two are often defined as separate languages.

References

* The Kamkata. Retrieved July 19, 2006, from "Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush" [http://users.sedona.net/~strand/Nuristani/Kamkata/kamkata.html] .
* The Kâta. Retrieved July 02, 2006, from "Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush" [http://users.sedona.net/~strand/Nuristani/Kamkata/Kata/kata.html] .
* The Kom. Retrieved July 02, 2006, from "Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush" [http://users.sedona.net/~strand/Nuristani/Kamkata/Kom/kom.html] .
* The Mumo. Retrieved July 11, 2006, from "Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush" [http://users.sedona.net/~strand/Nuristani/Kamkata/Mumo/mumo.html] .
* Kati. Retrieved June 13, 2006, from "Ethnologue: Languages of the World", fifteenth edition. SIL International. [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=bsh Online version] .