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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Pakistan > Burushaski

Burushaski

A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3: bsk

Population	87,000 in Pakistan (2000).
Region	North Gilgit District areas, Hunza-Nagar and Yasin areas; scattered in Gilgit, Kashmir, and various cities. Also in India.
Language map	Northern Pakistan, reference number 4
Alternate names	Biltum, Brushaski, Burucaki, Burucaski, Burushaki, Burushki, Khajuna, Kunjut
Dialects	Nagar (Nagir), Hunza, Yasin (Werchikwar). Yasin is geographically separated from other dialects. Lexical similarity: 91%–94% between Nagar and Hunza dialects, 67%–72% between Yasin and Hunza, 66%–71% between Yasin and Nagar, and may be a separate language.
Classification	Language isolate
Language use	Yasin also use Khowar [khw] or some Urdu [urd].
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 20%.
Writing system	Arabic script, Nastaliq style, no longer in use, plans for future development using this script. Arabic script, Naskh style. Latin script.
Comments	People are called Burusho. SOV. Muslim (Ismaili and Shi’a).

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BACKSTROM, Peter C., author. 1992. "Burushaski."

BACKSTROM, Peter C.; RADLOFF, Carla F., authors. 1992. Languages of northern areas.  

WILLSON, Stephen R., author. 1996. Verb agreement and case marking in Burushaski.

WILLSON, Stephen R., author. 1999. A look at Hunza culture.

WILLSON, Stephen R., author. 1999. Basic Burushaski vocabulary.

WILLSON, Stephen R., author. 2002. A look at Hunza culture.

WILLSON, Stephen R., author. 2003. "National treasures in danger."

Vernacular Publications

Languages of northern Pakistan 2004. 2003.