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IT is a known fact that languages die. Through history, hundreds of them have been wiped from the face of the earth and they remain only in some books on history, anthropology and linguistics.
It is estimated that there are about 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, not taking into account the 350 or so languages about which we know for sure that they have died. But there might have been many more of which we know nothing. David Crystal, the renowned linguist, wrote in his book Language Death that “when a language dies which has never been recorded in some way, it is as if it has never been”. He adds: “A language dies when nobody speaks it anymore”.
But never has the speed of language death been faster in history than in the increasingly globalised era we live in. The death of a language is indeed a matter of concern, not only for ethnologists and linguists but also for anyone concerned about culture and identity. Among 73 or so Pakistani languages, there are quite a few that are classified as ‘threatened’ by linguists. Below we give brief information of such Pakistani languages, based mainly on information given by some Pakistani and foreign publications and ‘Ethnologue: languages of the world’ (https://www.ethnologue.com/ country / PK/languages).
Aer
It is a language spoken in the rural areas of Sindh, notably Hyderabad, Kot Ghulam Muhammad and Kunri. Some people of Aer descent are reported to be living in the Nawabshah area in Sindh, but their culture is different. An Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan language, Aer is spoken by only a few hundred people and hence is a ‘threatened’ language. According to linguists, a threatened or endangered language is one whose speakers die out or shift to other languages and the language is in danger of falling out of use. Some Aer words suggest possible historical connection with Rajasthani languages, Gujarati and Kuchchi.
Bhaya
It is spoken in Sindh, especially in and around Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Kot Ghulam Muhammad and Khipro. The speakers are said to be in a few hundreds, which makes it a ‘threatened’ language. Bhaya, too, is an Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan language and has lexical similarities with Marvari and Malvi.
Gowro
Classified as an Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan language, Gowro is spoken in Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is ancestral language of the Gabar Khel clan and falls in Dardic, the sub-group of Indo-Aryan languages. Only a few hundred speakers of the language remain.
Kalami
Though spoken by a few hundred-thousand people in Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in Kalam, it is a threatened language. Falling in the category of Dardic, a sub-group of Indo-Aryan, Kalami is also known as Diri and Dirwali.
Sansi
About 20,000 speakers use Sansi in Sindh, in the areas around Karachi. An Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan language, it is spoken mainly by Bhils and those who migrated from India. It is not an indigenous Pakistani language.
Yidgha
According to Prof Henrik Liljegren of Stockholm University, Yidgha is in a real danger of becoming extinct as the areas where Yidgha is spoken are surrounded by the Khowar language and Khowar is taking over. The Yidgha language is spoken in Chitral district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Prof Liljegren estimated that about 6,000 people speak Yidgha. It belongs to Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan languages and has lexical similarity with Munji, a language spoken across the border in Afghanistan.
Domaaki
It is a language classified as ‘moribund’. A moribund language is one that is about to die. Such a language may become extinct if steps are not taken to preserve it. Domaaki is spoken in the valleys of Hunza, Nagar and Gilgit in Gilgit-Baltistan. Only a few hundred speakers, called Dom, use it and their number is decreasing. An Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan language, it has similarity with Shina.
Badeshi
It is a ‘dormant’ language. A language that has very few proficient speakers and is used for limited purposes is known as dormant language, say experts, as Latin is now a dormant language. It is spoken in upper Swat, as in Tret and Bishigram in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to a research carried out by Shamsi Khan and Zaman Sagar, it is also spoken in areas near Mansehra and Alai. Some locals claim their ancestors had migrated from Badakhshan in Afghanistan and that is why the language is also called Badakhshi.
Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2018
