Shekhani dialect

Shekhani
شیخانی‎
Native toPakistan
Region(Valleys of Gobor, Shekhandeh, Rumbur, Badogar, and Urtsun), Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
EthnicityNuristanis
Native speakers
12,000 (2019)
Language codes
ISO 639-3bsh

Shekhani (شیخانی) is a name for the Nuristani language spoken in Chitral District of northwestern Pakistan. Sheikhani is presumed to be a variety of Kata-vari language. It is one of the many Languages of Chitral. Around 12,000 people speak the language. Currently there is a Latin script and Arabic script being developed for Shekhani.· The Khowar name for it is ‘’Sheikhwar’’ which means “Language of the Sheikhs or converts”. It is currently endangered due to its isolation from other Nuristani languages and close proximity to Dardic and Iranian languages.

Usage

The name "Shekhani" is used for the Eastern Kata-vari dialect. But because Kamviri in Chitral is borrowing many words from Shekhani, it is also called Kamviri and is now very close. Shekhani is known as "Sheikhwar" in Khowar while Kamviri is known as "Shekhaniwar". Some sources site Shekhani as a term used for the Nuristani dialects and languages, but some just use it for the Eastern Kata-vari dialect.

Alphabet

Abdurrahman L. Rundi along with FLI created a alphabet and writing system in Nastaliq since 26 June, 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "Survey Conducted On Identity, Literacy Of Kativiri Language". Chitral Today. Retrieved 24 Nov 2023.
  2. ↑ "Writing System for Shekhani Language being developed". 15 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "Kamviri". Ethnologue.
  4. ↑ "Welcome | Khowarchitral". www.khowarchitral.com. February 2, 2016.
  5. ↑ Frawley, William J. (May 2003). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. ISBN 978-0-19-977178-3.
  6. ↑ admin (2019-10-25). "Survey conducted on identity, literacy of Kataviri language". Chitral Today. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  7. ↑ "Writing System for Shekhani Language being developed". April 15, 2021.
  8. ↑ "MyTrip - Chitral Valley". MyTrip.pk.
  9. ↑ Torwali, Zubair (2020-07-31). "Countering the challenges of globalization faced by endangered languages of North Pakistan". Language Documentation and Description. 17 (0). doi:10.25894/ldd96. ISSN 2756-1224.
  10. ↑ "Shekhani Language (Documentation) (1).PDF".
  11. ↑ "OLAC resources in and about the Kamviri language". Archived from the original on 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
  12. ↑ "Shekhani Language (Documentation).PDF".