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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Pakistan > Balochi, Western

Balochi, Western

A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3: bgn

Population	1,120,000 in Pakistan (1998). Population total all countries: 1,803,840.
Region	Northwest Balochistan Province. Also in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.
Language map	Southern Pakistan
Alternate names	Baloci, Baluchi, Baluci
Dialects	Lashari, Rakhshani (Raxshani), Sarawani. Strongly influenced by Fars, but not intelligible with Farsi [prs].
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Balochi A member of macrolanguage Baluchi [bal] (Pakistan).
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 1%–5%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. Newspapers. Radio programs. Bible portions: 1984.
Writing system	Arabic script, Nastaliq style, used in Afghanistan.
Comments	Balochi is the official spelling in Pakistan. A small body of literature. Muslim (Sunni).

Also spoken in:

Afghanistan

Language name	Balochi, Western
Population	200,000 in Afghanistan (1979).
Region	Southwest Desert Region, along Helmand River and Zaranj area.
Language map	Afghanistan
Alternate names	Baloci, Baluchi, Baluci
Dialects	Rakhshani (Raxshani).
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%.
Comments	Largely nomadic. Muslim (Sunni).

Iran

Language name	Balochi, Western
Population	451,000 in Iran (1986).
Region	North Sistan va Baluchistan Province. Half in cities and villages, half nomadic.
Alternate names	Baloci, Baluchi, Baluci
Dialects	Rakhshani (Raxshani), Sarawani.
Language use	Few speak Farsi [prs] or [pes].
Comments	Distinct from Eastern and Southern Balochi [bcc]. Ethnic group: Yarahmadza. Muslim (Sunni and Shi’a).

Turkmenistan

Language name	Balochi, Western
Population	28,000 in Turkmenistan (1993).
Language map	Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
Alternate names	Baloci, Baluchi, Baluci
Language use	Turkmen is literary language in Turkmenistan.
Comments	Distinct from Eastern [bgp] and Southern Balochi [bcc]. Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

FARRELL, Timothy, author. 1989. A study of ergativity in Balochi.

FARRELL, Timothy, author. 1995. "Fading ergativity? A study of ergativity in Balochi."

HALLBERG, Daniel G., author. 1992. Pashto, Waneci, Ormuri.  

SABIR, A. Razzak, author. 2003. "Language contact in Balochistan (with special reference to Balochi and Brahui)."

Vernacular Publications

Buni kitaab. 1987.