Dari

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A language of Afghanistan

ISO 639-3
prs
Alternate Names
Afghan Persian, East Farsi, Farsi, Parsi, Persian, Tajik, Tajiki
Population

7,600,000 in Afghanistan (2011 census), increasing. Population total all countries: 9,600,000. Ethnic population: 7,600,000.

Location

Western, Central, Northern, and Northeastern Afghanistan; Kabul Province. Also in Iran, Pakistan.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (2004, Constitution, Article 16 (1)).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
Dialects

Darwazi, Tangshew (Tangshuri). Radio Afghanistan broadcasts promote a standardized pronunciation of the literary language based on the old dictional tradition of the country, with archaic phonetic characteristics. Phonological and lexical differences between Iran and Afghanistan cause little difficulty in comprehension. Most Afghan dialects are more similar to literary Persian than Iranian dialects are. Lexical similarity: 86%–90% among Dari dialects.

Language Use

All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 28%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Poetry. Magazines. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Films. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 2008.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dari
Writing
Arabic script.
Other Comments

Muslim (Sunni), Muslim (Shi’a).

Also spoken in:

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