Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse nation, with upwards of 40 distinct languages.[3][Note 1] However, the Dari[Note 2] and Pashto are two of the most prominent languages in the country, and both have official status in Afghanistan. Dari, as a shared language between multiple ethnic groups in the country, has served as a historical Lingua Franca between different linguistic groups in the region and is the most widely understood language.[4][5] Pashto is also widely spoken in the region, but the language is not multi-ethnic like Dari and is not as commonly spoken by non-Pashtuns.[6][Note 3] Dari and Pashto are also, in a linguistic sense, "relatives", as both are Iranian languages.[7][8][9][10]
According to CIA World Factbook, Dari Persian is spoken by 78% (L1 + L2) and functions as the lingua franca, while Pashto is spoken by 35%, Uzbek 10%, English 5%, Turkmen 2%, Urdu 2%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, and Balochi 1% (2021 est). Data represent the most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language. The Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them.[11]
The exact figures about the size and composition of the various ethnolinguistic groups are unavailable since no systematic census has been held in Afghanistan in decades.[16] The table below displays the major languages spoken in Afghanistan per sample statistics:
A sizeable population in Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, can also speak and understand Hindustani due to the popularity and influence of Bollywood films and songs in the region.[20][21]
Language policy
The official languages of the country are Dari and Pashto, as established by the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan. Dari is the most widely spoken language of Afghanistan's official languages and acts as a lingua franca for the country. In 1980, other regional languages were granted official status in the regions where they are the language of the majority.[22] This policy was codified in the 2004 Afghan Constitution, which established Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani and Pamiri as a third official language in areas where they are spoken by a majority of the population.[23]
Until 2004, Dari and Pashto were the only languages promoted by the government. Though policy has since changed, it has still harmed many minority languages of the country. The table below shows endangered languages spoken in Afghanistan that are recognized by UNESCO.[24][25] UNESCO recognizes 23 endangered languages in Afghanistan, 12 of which are exclusively spoken in Afghanistan and one having gone extinct after UNESCO's survey.
^Harald Haarmann: Sprachen-Almanach – Zahlen und Fakten zu allen Sprachen der Welt. Campus-Verl., Frankfurt/Main 2002, ISBN3-593-36572-3, S.273–274; Afghanistan
^ abThe Asia Foundation. A Survey of the Afghan People: Afghanistan in 2019.
^The Asia Foundation. Afghanistan in 2013: A Survey of the Afghan People.
^The Asia Foundation. Afghanistan in 2006: A Survey of the Afghan People.
^"Documentation for ISO 639 identifier: prs". Sil.org. 18 January 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
^"The World Factbook: Afghanistan". Cia.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
^R. Farhadi and J. R. Perry, Kaboli, Encyclopaedia Iranica, Online Edition, originally in Vol. XV, Fasc. 3, pp. 276–280, 2009.
^"Uncommon tongue: Pakistan's confusing move to Urdu". BBC News. 11 September 2015.
^Wahab, Shaista; Youngerman, Barry (2007). A Brief History of Afghanistan. Infobase Publishing. p. 18. ISBN9781438108193. Afghan Hindus and Sikhs speak Hindi or Punjabi in addition to Pashto and Dari.
^Harald Haarmann: Sprachen-Almanach – Zahlen und Fakten zu allen Sprachen der Welt. Campus-Verl., Frankfurt/Main 2002, ISBN3-593-36572-3, S.273–274; Afghanistan
^"Ethnic groups". BBC News. Retrieved 7 June 2013. Pashtun: Estimated to be in excess of 45% of the population, the Pashtuns have been the most dominant ethnic group in Afghanistan.
^ abThe Asia Foundation. Afghanistan in 2006: A Survey of the Afghan People.
^The Asia Foundation. Afghanistan in 2013: A Survey of the Afghan People.
^The Asia Foundation. Afghanistan in 2018: A Survey of the Afghan People.
^Hakala, Walter N. (2012). "Languages as a Key to Understanding Afghanistan's Cultures" (PDF). National Geographic. Retrieved 13 March 2018. In the 1980s and '90s, at least three million Afghans--mostly Pashtun--fled to Pakistan, where a substantial number spent several years being exposed to Hindi- and Urdu-language media, especially Bollywood films and songs, and being educated in Urdu-language schools, both of which contributed to the decline of Dari, even among urban Pashtuns.
^Krishnamurthy, Rajeshwari (28 June 2013). "Kabul Diary: Discovering the Indian connection". Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations. Retrieved 13 March 2018. Most Afghans in Kabul understand and/or speak Hindi, thanks to the popularity of Indian cinema in the country.
^"AFGHANISTAN v. Languages". Ch. M. Kieffer. Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2012-04-08. A. Official languages. Paṧtō (1) is the native tongue of 50 to 55 percent of Afghans... Persian (2) is the language most spoken in Afghanistan. The native tongue of twenty five percent of the population, it is split into numerous dialects.
^"What Languages are Spoken in Afghanistan?". 2004. Retrieved June 13, 2012. Pashto and Dari are the official languages of the state. are – in addition to Pashto and Dari – the third official language in areas where the majority speaks them
^Evans, Lisa (2011-04-15). "Endangered languages: the full list". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
^Dari is the official name of the variety of Persian language spoken in Afghanistan. It is often referred to as Afghan Persian, although still widely known as Farsi (Persian: فارسی; "Persian") to its native speakers, the name was officially changed to Dari in 1964 by the Afghan government. Dari has been the preferred language of government for centuries, despite the domination of politics by Pashtuns, whose native language is Pashto.
Language Policy and Language Conflict in Afghanistan and Its Neighbors: The Changing Politics of Language Choice
External links
Linguistic map of Afghanistan
May 04, 2023
languages, afghanistan, afghanistan, linguistically, diverse, nation, with, upwards, distinct, languages, note, however, dari, note, pashto, most, prominent, languages, country, both, have, official, status, afghanistan, dari, shared, language, between, multip. Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse nation with upwards of 40 distinct languages 3 Note 1 However the Dari Note 2 and Pashto are two of the most prominent languages in the country and both have official status in Afghanistan Dari as a shared language between multiple ethnic groups in the country has served as a historical Lingua Franca between different linguistic groups in the region and is the most widely understood language 4 5 Pashto is also widely spoken in the region but the language is not multi ethnic like Dari and is not as commonly spoken by non Pashtuns 6 Note 3 Dari and Pashto are also in a linguistic sense relatives as both are Iranian languages 7 8 9 10 Languages of AfghanistanEthnolinguistic groups of Afghanistan in 1997 Hazaragi and Tajik are dialects of Persian 1 OfficialDari Persian PashtoRegionalUzbek Turkmen Balochi Pashayi NuristaniMinorityArabic Urdu Kyrgyz Tajik SindhiForeignEnglish c 5 2 SignedAfghan Sign LanguageKeyboard layoutPersian keyboard ISIRI 9147 Sign in Paktika Province with Pashto text According to CIA World Factbook Dari Persian is spoken by 78 L1 L2 and functions as the lingua franca while Pashto is spoken by 35 Uzbek 10 English 5 Turkmen 2 Urdu 2 Pashayi 1 Nuristani 1 Arabic 1 and Balochi 1 2021 est Data represent the most widely spoken languages shares sum to more than 100 because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language The Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen as well as Balochi Pashayi Nuristani and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them 11 Both Persian and Pashto are Indo European languages from the Iranian languages sub family Other regional languages such as Uzbek Turkmen Balochi Pashayi and Nuristani are spoken by minority groups across the country Minor languages include Ashkunu Kamkata viri Vasi vari Tregami and Kalasha ala Pamiri Shughni Munji Ishkashimi and Wakhi Brahui Arabic and Pashai and Kyrgyz and Punjabi 12 Linguist Harald Haarmann believes that Afghanistan is home to more than 40 minor languages 13 with around 200 different dialects Contents 1 Overview 2 Language policy 3 Language families 4 Endangered Languages 5 See also 6 References 7 Footnotes 8 Further reading 9 External linksOverview EditThe Persian or Dari language functions as the nation s lingua franca and is the native tongue of several of Afghanistan s ethnic groups including the Tajiks Hazaras and Aimaqs 14 Pashto is the native tongue of the Pashtuns the dominant ethnic group in Afghanistan 15 Due to Afghanistan s multi ethnic character multilingualism is a common phenomenon The exact figures about the size and composition of the various ethnolinguistic groups are unavailable since no systematic census has been held in Afghanistan in decades 16 The table below displays the major languages spoken in Afghanistan per sample statistics Spoken Languages in Afghanistan Language 2006 as L1 out of 6 226 17 2006 as L2 out of 6 226 17 2013 out of 9 260 18 2018 out of 13 943 L1 L2 19 2019 out of 15 930 L1 L2 4 Dari 49 26 48 77 78 Pashto 40 5 25 48 50 Uzbek 9 2 9 11 10 Turkmen 2 3 3 3 2 Balochi 0 0 1 1 1 Pashayi 0 1 1 1 1 Nuristani N A N A 1 1 1 Arabic 0 2 1 1 1 English 0 8 5 6 5 Urdu 0 7 2 3 2 A sizeable population in Afghanistan especially in Kabul can also speak and understand Hindustani due to the popularity and influence of Bollywood films and songs in the region 20 21 Language policy EditThe official languages of the country are Dari and Pashto as established by the 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan Dari is the most widely spoken language of Afghanistan s official languages and acts as a lingua franca for the country In 1980 other regional languages were granted official status in the regions where they are the language of the majority 22 This policy was codified in the 2004 Afghan Constitution which established Uzbek Turkmen Balochi Pashayi Nuristani and Pamiri as a third official language in areas where they are spoken by a majority of the population 23 Language families EditSince Afghanistan is predominantly located on the Iranian plateau the majority of spoken languages belong to the family of Iranic languages Turkic languages are spoken sparsely at the northern intersection of the plateau with Central Asia Similarly Nuristani languages and Dravidian languages are spoken sparsely at some regions where the plateau intersects with the Indian subcontinent Endangered Languages EditUntil 2004 Dari and Pashto were the only languages promoted by the government Though policy has since changed it has still harmed many minority languages of the country The table below shows endangered languages spoken in Afghanistan that are recognized by UNESCO 24 25 UNESCO recognizes 23 endangered languages in Afghanistan 12 of which are exclusively spoken in Afghanistan and one having gone extinct after UNESCO s survey Language UNESCO Status Language Group Language Family Native to Speakers All Countries Ashkun Definitely endangered Nuristani Indo Iranian Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 40 000 2011 Brahui Vunerable Northern Dravidian Dravidian Afghanistan Pakistan 2 864 400 2018 Central Asian Arabic Definitely endangered Semetic Afro Asiatic Afghanistan Iran Tajikistan Uzbekistan 6 000 2003 Gawar Bati Definitely endangered Indo Aryan Indo Iranian Indo European Afghanistan Pakistan 9 500 1992 Kamkata vari Definitely endangered Nuristani Indo European Afghanistan Pakistan 40 000 2017 Moghol Moribund i Moghol ii Mongolic Afghanistan exclusively 200 2003 iii Munji Severely endangered Iranian Indo Iranian Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 5 300 2008 Nangalami Severely endangered Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 5 000 1994 Ormuri Definitely endangered Iranian Indo European Afghanistan Pakistan 6 000 2004 Parachi Definitely endangered Iranian Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 3 500 2009 Parya Severely endangered Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan Tajikistan Uzbekistan 2 600 No Date iv Pashayi Vunerable Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 400 000 2011 Rushani Definitely endangered Iranian Indo European Afghanistan Tajikistan 18 000 1990 Savi Definitely endangered Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 9 000 2017 Sanglechi Severely endangered Iranian Indo European Afghanistan Tajikistan 2 200 2009 Shughni Vunerable Iranian Indo European Afghanistan Tajikistan 75 000 1990 Shumashti Severely endangered Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 1 000 1994 Tirahi Moribund i Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 100 undated 26 Tregami Severely endangered Nuristani Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 3 500 2011 Kalasha Ala Definitely endangered Nuristani Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 12 000 2011 Wakhi Definitely endangered Iranian Indo European Afghanistan China Pakistan Tajikistan 58 000 2012 Wasi Wari Definitely endangered Nuristani Indo European Afghanistan exclusively 8 000 2011 Wotapuri Katarqalai Extinct no living speakers left Indo Aryan Indo European Afghanistan formerly 0 i lit verge of death Language has so few speakers it is unlikely to survive unless immediate action is taken to preserve it ii Moghol is the only language in its branch iii Possibly Extinct iv Language has died or gone extinct in Afghanistan but survives elsewhere See also Edit Afghanistan portalAfghan Turkmens Demographics of Afghanistan Ethnic groups in Afghanistan Turkic people in AfghanistanReferences Edit The 1997 CIA World Factbook Afghanistan PDF Language data for Afghanistan Harald Haarmann Sprachen Almanach Zahlen und Fakten zu allen Sprachen der Welt Campus Verl Frankfurt Main 2002 ISBN 3 593 36572 3 S 273 274 Afghanistan a b The Asia Foundation A Survey of the Afghan People Afghanistan in 2019 The Asia Foundation Afghanistan in 2013 A Survey of the Afghan People The Asia Foundation Afghanistan in 2006 A Survey of the Afghan People Documentation for ISO 639 identifier prs Sil org 18 January 2010 Retrieved December 5 2014 The World Factbook Afghanistan Cia gov Retrieved July 20 2020 R Farhadi and J R Perry Kaboli Encyclopaedia Iranica Online Edition originally in Vol XV Fasc 3 pp 276 280 2009 Uncommon tongue Pakistan s confusing move to Urdu BBC News 11 September 2015 The World Factbook Wahab Shaista Youngerman Barry 2007 A Brief History of Afghanistan Infobase Publishing p 18 ISBN 9781438108193 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs speak Hindi or Punjabi in addition to Pashto and Dari Harald Haarmann Sprachen Almanach Zahlen und Fakten zu allen Sprachen der Welt Campus Verl Frankfurt Main 2002 ISBN 3 593 36572 3 S 273 274 Afghanistan Languages of Afghanistan Encyclopaedia Britannica Ethnic groups BBC News Retrieved 7 June 2013 Pashtun Estimated to be in excess of 45 of the population the Pashtuns have been the most dominant ethnic group in Afghanistan O toole Pam October 6 2004 Afghan poll s ethnic battleground BBC News Retrieved 2010 09 16 a b The Asia Foundation Afghanistan in 2006 A Survey of the Afghan People The Asia Foundation Afghanistan in 2013 A Survey of the Afghan People The Asia Foundation Afghanistan in 2018 A Survey of the Afghan People Hakala Walter N 2012 Languages as a Key to Understanding Afghanistan s Cultures PDF National Geographic Retrieved 13 March 2018 In the 1980s and 90s at least three million Afghans mostly Pashtun fled to Pakistan where a substantial number spent several years being exposed to Hindi and Urdu language media especially Bollywood films and songs and being educated in Urdu language schools both of which contributed to the decline of Dari even among urban Pashtuns Krishnamurthy Rajeshwari 28 June 2013 Kabul Diary Discovering the Indian connection Gateway House Indian Council on Global Relations Retrieved 13 March 2018 Most Afghans in Kabul understand and or speak Hindi thanks to the popularity of Indian cinema in the country AFGHANISTAN v Languages Ch M Kieffer Encyclopaedia Iranica Retrieved 2012 04 08 A Official languages Paṧtō 1 is the native tongue of 50 to 55 percent of Afghans Persian 2 is the language most spoken in Afghanistan The native tongue of twenty five percent of the population it is split into numerous dialects What Languages are Spoken in Afghanistan 2004 Retrieved June 13 2012 Pashto and Dari are the official languages of the state are in addition to Pashto and Dari the third official language in areas where the majority speaks them Evans Lisa 2011 04 15 Endangered languages the full list the Guardian Retrieved 2022 09 05 unesdoc unesco org https unesdoc unesco org ark 48223 pf0000187026 Retrieved 2022 09 05 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty title help Tirahi Ethnologue Footnotes Edit Many of Afghanistans languages are quite small with many being on the verge of extinction See Languages of Afghanistan Endangered languages Dari is the official name of the variety of Persian language spoken in Afghanistan It is often referred to as Afghan Persian although still widely known as Farsi Persian فارسی Persian to its native speakers the name was officially changed to Dari in 1964 by the Afghan government Dari has been the preferred language of government for centuries despite the domination of politics by Pashtuns whose native language is Pashto See Languages of Afghanistan OverviewFurther reading EditLanguage Policy and Language Conflict in Afghanistan and Its Neighbors The Changing Politics of Language ChoiceExternal links EditDistribution of languages map from Columbia University Linguistic map of Afghanistan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Languages of Afghanistan amp oldid 1151781415, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
