- Wakhi language
Infobox Language
name=Wakhi
nativename="IPA|x̌ik zik"
states=Afghanistan (9,600),China (6,000),Pakistan (9,100),Tajikistan (7,000)
speakers=approximately 31,700
familycolor=Indo-European
fam2=Indo-Iranian
fam3=Iranian
fam4=Eastern Iranian
fam5=Southeastern Iranian
fam6=Pamir
script=Arabic, Cyrillic, Latin
iso1=--|iso2=--|iso3=wblWakhi is an
Indo-Iranian language in the sub-branch ofSoutheastern Iranian languages (seePamir languages ).Classification and Distribution
Wakhi is one of several languages that belong to the Pamir language group. A reflection of this is the fact that the
Wakhi people are occasional called Pamiris. The origin of this language isWakhan , an area divided between in the extreme northeast ofAfghanistan andGorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan. A very rough estimate of the population of Wakhi Tajiks is 50,000 worldwide. The Wakhi live in four different countries. In the northern areas ofPakistan the Wakhi people mainly live inGojal ,Ishkoman ,Darkut , andBroghol . They also live in many parts ofTajikistan ,Afghanistan , andChina . The religion of the Wakhi isShia Ismaili Islam ; they are followers ofAga Khan IV .In Tajikistan
There is some controversy surrounding the ethnic and linguistic designation of the Wakhi. In Tajikistan the Wakhi and other communities that speak one of the
Pamir languages refer to themselves as Pamiri or Badakhshani and there has been a movement to separate their identity from that of the majorityTajiks . Conversely, inPakistan the Wakhi refer to themselves as Tajiks. Whether Wakhi is a separatelanguage from Tajik or adialect of Tajik has been equally controversial. Linguists universally refer to Wakhi as an Iranian language independent of Tajik, but many Tajiknationalists insist that Wakhi and other Pamir languages are actually dialects of Tajik. [cite book
last=Viires
first=Ants
coauthors=Lauri Vahtre
title=The Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire
publisher=NGO Red Book
date=2001
location=Tallinn
url=http://www.eki.ee/books/redbook/index1.shtml
id=ISBN 9985-9369-2-2 ]In Pakistan
In Pakistan, the central organization of the Wakhi is the
Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association Pakistan (WTCA), an organization that is registered with theGovernment of Pakistan and which works with the collaboration of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism andLok Virsa Pakistan . The Association is working for the preservation of the Wakhi Tajiki language and culture, as well as documenting theirpoetry andmusic . The literacy rate among Wakhi Tajiks in the northern areas of Pakistan is about 60%.Radio Pakistan Gilgit relays the Wakhi radio programme "Sadoyah Boomy Dunyo", the voice of the roof of the world. The Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association has arranged more than twenty programmes since 1984, which includes cultural shows, musical nights, and large-scale musical festivals with the collaboration of Lok Virsa Pakistan, the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKCSP), and Pakistan television. In2000 , the WTCA won a "Best Programme" organizer award in theSilk Road Festival from thePresident of Pakistan ,Pervez Musharraf . A computerized codification of the Wakhi script has been released, which will help to promote the language development programme and documentation of Wakhi poetry, literature, andhistory . [cite book
title=Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association report 1991–2001
publisher=Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association
location=Pakistan
date=2001]In China
Orthography
Sample text from a Bible translation published in 2001 is shown below. [cite book|title=unicode|Luqo Inǰil (Gospel of Luke)|language=Wakhi|date=2001|publisher=unicode|Bəzыrg Kitob tarǰimacrakыzg institute Title page: [http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/kuhl1/wakhani-rom-source.jpg] , passages in Roman alphabet [http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/kuhl1/wakhani-rom-1.jpg] [http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/kuhl1/wakhani-rom-2.jpg] , passages in Cyrillic alphabet [http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/kuhl1/wakhani-cyr-1.jpg] [http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/kuhl1/wakhani-cyr-2.jpg] ]
Vocabulary
The Wakhi lexicon exhibits significant differences with both Western Iranian languages such as Persian or Tajik, and also with the other Pamir languages. Gawarjon's comparison of the dialects of
Sarikoli and Wakhi spoken in China and the Western Iranian languages is reproduced below.Phonology
Vowels
Consonants
References
ee also
*
Wakhi (ethnic group) External links
* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=wbl Ethnologue data: Languages of the World, 15th Edition]
* [http://www.ismaili.net/mirrors/pamir_001/wakhs.shtml The Wakhis: Article from the Ismaili dot net]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/sd/tajikistanupdate/engpamirlanguages.html English-Ishkashimi-Zebaki-Wakhi-Yazghulami Vocabulary]
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