Institute working to save script-less languages from extinction (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Institute working to save script-less languages from extinction

By Ghafar Ali
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_15-9-2005_pg7_34

PESHAWAR: Languages do not merely serve the purpose of communication.
They carry and transmit the culture and history of their native
speakers. The language a person speaks essentially determines the
worldview of a person. Languages therefore are a primary source of
identity. A huge diversity in the regional languages of a country may
pose many challenges.

More than two-dozen languages of Indian-Aryan, Iranian, Tibetan and
Nooristani origins are spoken in the NWFP and the Northern Areas, most
of which do not have a script. Henrik Lijegran, a research consultant
at the Frontier Language Institute (FLI) told Daily Times about his
institute’s efforts to preserve and promote the mother tongues of
various language communities of northern Pakistan. He said one of the
main objectives of the organisation is to document languages and
cultures and to promote the educational use of these languages.

“The FLI facilitates local researchers by educating them in linguistics,
literacy, anthropology, lexicography, translation, language planning,
phonology and research methodology” he said. He said the training would
allow individuals to preserve oral traditions, poetry, proverbs, folk
tales and other aspects of their cultural heritage. This would also aid
the development of bilingual or trilingual dictionaries and glossaries.
The efforts aim to improve reading and writing skills to produce
literature in the national, regional and vernacular languages of the
region. He said the institute has facilitated the development of
scripts of 20 regional languages.

“We want to offer a local language network that allows cultural
exchange,” the researcher said. He said the FLI would support a local
project for the development of three languages - Gawri, Torwali, Palula
- spoken in Chitral. Each of these languages has 10,000 to 100,000
speakers.

Language Location Population
Indo-Aryan languages:
Bateri Indus Kohistan Over 20,000
Chilisso Indus Kohistan Over 2,000
Dameli Damel valley (Chitral) Over 2,000
Domaaki Hunza (Gilgit) Over 200
Gawar-Bati Arandu (Chitral) Over 200
Gawri Swat, Dir Kohistan Over 20,000
Gowro Indus Kohistan Over 200
Gojri Throughout the region Over 200,000
Hindko Azad Kashmir, Over 2,000,000
Kohat, Peshawar
Indus Kohistani Indus Kohistan Over 200,000
Kalasha Chitral Over 2,000
Kalkoti Dir Kohistan Over 2,000
Kashmiri Azad Kashmir Over 20,000
Khowar (Chitrali) Chitral, Gilgit Over 200,000
Kundal Shahi Azad Kashmir Over 200
Language Location Population
Pahari-Potwari Murree hills, Over 2,000,000
Azad Kashmir
Palula Chitral Over 2,000
Shina Gilgit, Kohistan Over 200,000
Torwali Behrain (Swat) Over 20,000
Ushojo Madyan (Swat) Over 200
Iranian languages:
Ormuri South Waziristan Over 2,000
Pashto Throughout the region Over 2,000,000
Wakhi Gilgit, Chitral Over 2,000
Yidgha Lutkoh valley (Chitral) Over 2,000
Tibetan language:
Balti Baltistan Over 200,000
Isolated language:
Burushaski Hunza, Nagar, Yasin Over 20,000
Nuristani language:
Kam-Kataviri Chitral Over 2,000