Scripts and Characters Used in the Languages of Northern Pakistan
Scripts and Characters Used in the Languages of Northern Pakistan
Scripts and Characters Used in the Languages of Northern Pakistan
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<strong>Scripts</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Characters</strong> <strong>Used</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Languages</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Pakistan</strong><br />
Inam Ullah<br />
CRULP, FAST-NU<br />
1
What does Nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Pakistan</strong> mean<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Pakistan</strong> <strong>in</strong>cludes:<br />
North West Frontier Prov<strong>in</strong>ce (NWFP)<br />
Muree Hills (Punjab)<br />
Azad Jammu Kashmir <strong>and</strong><br />
Federally Adm<strong>in</strong>istered Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Areas (Gilgit,,<br />
Chilas, Diamar, Skardu etc.)<br />
2
There are more than 25 dist<strong>in</strong>ctive languages,<br />
most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se are spoken only…<br />
Hav<strong>in</strong>g no writ<strong>in</strong>g systems…..<br />
But now speakers <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se languages have<br />
started to develop orthographies for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
languages <strong>and</strong> write down what <strong>the</strong>y speak.<br />
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<strong>Languages</strong> <strong>of</strong> NWFP<br />
Major <strong>Languages</strong><br />
Language<br />
• Pashto<br />
• H<strong>in</strong>dko<br />
• Gojri<br />
• Khowar<br />
• Indus-Kohistani<br />
Location<br />
Throughout NWFP<br />
Peshawar, Kohat, Hazara<br />
Swat, Dir, Chitral, Buner<br />
District Chitral<br />
District Kohistan<br />
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<strong>Languages</strong> <strong>of</strong> NWFP<br />
M<strong>in</strong>or <strong>Languages</strong><br />
Language<br />
Location<br />
• Torwali<br />
• Gawri<br />
• Bateri<br />
• Chiliso<br />
• Palula<br />
Bahra<strong>in</strong>, Swat<br />
Upper Swat, Upper Dir<br />
District Kohistan<br />
District Kohistan<br />
Ashret, Chitral<br />
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Language<br />
<strong>Languages</strong> <strong>of</strong> NWFP<br />
(M<strong>in</strong>or <strong>Languages</strong>)<br />
Location<br />
• Gawro……………….Indus KohistaniChitral<br />
• Kamveri/Kataveri..Chitral<br />
• Gwarbati…………….Ar<strong>and</strong>u, Chitral<br />
• Kalasha……………..Chitral<br />
• Dameli……………….Chitral<br />
• Oshojo……………….Chail Valley, Swat<br />
• Urmuri ……………….South Waziristan<br />
• Yidgha……………….Ladkho Valley, Chitral<br />
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<strong>Languages</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Areas<br />
Language name<br />
• Sh<strong>in</strong>a<br />
• Balti<br />
• Brushaski<br />
• Domaki<br />
• Wakhi<br />
Location<br />
Gilgit, Chilas<br />
Skardu, Baltistan<br />
Hunza, Nagar, Yas<strong>in</strong><br />
Hunza, Gilgit<br />
Wakhan, N.A<br />
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<strong>Languages</strong> <strong>of</strong> Azad Jammu Kashmir &<br />
Muree Hills<br />
<strong>Languages</strong><br />
Location<br />
Paharri/Pothohari<br />
Kashmiri<br />
Kundal Shahi<br />
Azad Kashmir, Murree hills<br />
Azad Kashmir<br />
Neelam Valley, Azad Kashmir<br />
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Script used <strong>in</strong> Pashto<br />
(<strong>Characters</strong> different from Urdu are encircled)<br />
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Script <strong>Used</strong> <strong>in</strong> H<strong>in</strong>dko Language<br />
Almost <strong>the</strong> same Urdu script is used <strong>in</strong><br />
H<strong>in</strong>dko Language<br />
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Script <strong>Used</strong> <strong>in</strong> Khowar Language<br />
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<strong>Characters</strong> <strong>Used</strong> <strong>in</strong> Torwali o<strong>the</strong>r than Urdu<br />
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<strong>Characters</strong> <strong>Used</strong> <strong>in</strong> Gawri language<br />
(<strong>Characters</strong> miss<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Urdu or Pashto are encircled <strong>in</strong> red)<br />
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Brushaski <strong>Characters</strong><br />
(miss<strong>in</strong>g characters <strong>in</strong> Urdu alphabet)<br />
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Who <strong>in</strong>troduced new characters<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Local language activists, mostly supported<br />
by field researchers <strong>of</strong> SIL <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
(formerly Summer Institute <strong>of</strong> L<strong>in</strong>guistics)<br />
SIL works on <strong>the</strong> undocumented smaller<br />
languages <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> North <strong>Pakistan</strong><br />
They help local language activists to make<br />
orthography <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir languages<br />
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• Local activists make Language Committees on<br />
community basis to decide orthography issues<br />
• SIL International conducts tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g workshops<br />
on l<strong>in</strong>guistic s<strong>of</strong>tware<br />
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Major Language Resource Centre <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
North <strong>Pakistan</strong><br />
• Frontier Language Institute, FLI,<br />
Peshawar is <strong>the</strong> major l<strong>in</strong>guistic<br />
resource center for <strong>the</strong> language<br />
activists.<br />
www.fli-onl<strong>in</strong>e.org<br />
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Preferred Script <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> smaller<br />
languages <strong>of</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn <strong>Pakistan</strong><br />
Almost all <strong>the</strong> language communities have<br />
decided to adapt modified Indo-Perso-Arabic<br />
script for <strong>the</strong>ir languages, except Wakhi<br />
community who preferred to write <strong>in</strong> Lat<strong>in</strong><br />
script. Some elements among <strong>the</strong> Balti <strong>and</strong><br />
Kalasha communities also <strong>in</strong>sist to write <strong>in</strong><br />
scripts o<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong> Indo-Perso-Arabic script.<br />
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References<br />
http://users.sedona.net/~str<strong>and</strong>/lngFrameL.html<br />
www.fli-onl<strong>in</strong>e.org<br />
http://www.crulp.org<br />
Proposal submitted to UNICODE consortium for characters <strong>of</strong> Khowar, Torwali,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Burushaski by Dr. Elena Bashir <strong>and</strong> Dr. Sarmad Hussa<strong>in</strong>.<br />
http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/docs/n3117.pdf<br />
www.omniglot.com/writ<strong>in</strong>g/pashto.htm<br />
http://www.vista-tourism.com/map.htm<br />
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