Koli, Kachi

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A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3
gjk
Alternate Names
Kachi, Kachi Gujarati, Katchi, Kohli, Kolhi, Koli, Kori, Kuchi, Vagari, Vagaria
Population

170,000 in Pakistan (1998). 80,000 to 100,000 Kachi Koli, 5,000 to 6,000 Rabari, 10,000 Kachi Bhil, 50,000 Vagri, 10,000 Katai Meghwar, 1,000 Zalavaria Koli. Population total all countries: 570,000.

Location

Lower Sindh, an area bordered by Sakrand and Nawabshah north, Matli south, and east beyond Mirpur Khas and Jamesabad, Tando Allahyar, and Tando Adam town areas. Also in India.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Gujarati
Dialects

Kachi, Kachi Bhil, Katai Meghwar, Rabari (Rahabari), Vagri (Kachi Meghwar), Zalavaria Koli. Intermediate between Sindhi [snd] and Gujarati [guj]; becoming more like Sindhi. Lexical similarity: Kachi dialect; 89% with Kachi and Rabari, 96% with Kachi Bhil, 86% with Vagri, 92% with Katai Meghwar, 88% with Zalavaria Koli, 78% with Gujarati [guj], 76% with Wadiyara Koli [kxp].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%. Grammar. NT: 2002.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Koli, Kachi
Writing
Arabic script. Gujarati script, used by older people.
Other Comments

People with basically the same language are socially quite distinct. Hindu, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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