Khowar

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A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3
khw
Alternate Names
Arniya, Chitrali, Chitrari, Citrali, Kashkari, Khawar, Patu, Qashqari
Population

223,000 in Pakistan (1992). Population total all countries: 242,200.

Location

Chitral; Ghizr valley, Shandur pass to Gupis; Gilgit district, Yasin and Ishkhoman valleys, north Swat valley, Ushu; Peshawar and Rawalpindi. Also in India.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northwestern zone, Dardic, Chitral
Dialects

East Khowar, North Khowar, South Khowar, Swat Khowar. Northern dialect considered more pure. Related to Kalasha [kls] but different. Lexical similarity: 86%–98% among dialects.

Typology

SOV

Language Use

The most important language of Chitral. Also use Pashto in the south, Shina [scl] and Burushaski [bsk] in Gilgit District, Kalami [gwc] and some Pashto in Swat; Urdu [urd] and English [eng] among the educated.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 15%–20% men, 1% women. Urdu used in schools. Newspapers. Radio programs.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Khowar
Writing
Arabic script.
Other Comments

Muslim (Sunni), Muslim (Ismaili).

Also spoken in:

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