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Domari

A language of Iran

ISO 639-3: rmt

Population	1,340,000 in Iran (2000). Population total all countries: 3,952,810.
Region	Kurbat and Luli in west; Mehtar in Fars and Kohgiluyeh va Boyerahmad Province; Karachi in north. Also in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, Russian Federation (Europe), Sudan, Syria, Turkey (Europe), Uzbekistan.
Alternate names	Gypsy, Luti, Mehtar, Middle Eastern Romani, Tsigene
Dialects	Kurbati (Ghorbati), Qinati, Yürük, Koli, Karachi, Luli, Maznoug, Nawar. Dialects in Iran may be highly divergent from one another. Not intelligible to Romani speakers.
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Dom
Language use	Vigorous. Home and in communication with other gypsies. All ages. Also use Western Farsi [pes], Luristani [lrc], Bakthiari [bqi], Southern Luri [luz], or Qashqai [qxq].
Language development	Grammar.
Comments	Influenced by Arabic, as well as languages of host ethnic groups with which any gypsy group is associated. Blacksmiths; haircutters; musicians; carpenters; butchers. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Afghanistan

Language name	Domari
Dialects	Churi-Wali.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%.
Comments	Muslim.

Egypt

Language name	Domari
Population	2,280,000 in Egypt (2006). Muslim Gypsies in Egypt: 1,080,000.
Region	Ghagar mainly in Dakahlia Governorate, north of Cairo.
Dialects	Nawar (Ghagar), Helebi.
Language use	Reported that many now speak Arabic.
Comments	Muslim.

India

Language name	Domari
Population	202,000 in India (2000).
Region	Bihar, Saran and Champaran districts; Assam; West Bengal; Uttar Pradesh; Punjab; Madhya Pradesh; Jammu and Kashmir; Orissa.
Alternate names	Dom, Domra Magu Hiya
Dialects	Domaki, Wogri-Boli.
Language use	A Gypsy language partly used for in-group identification.
Comments	Efforts made to hide meaning of words from outsiders. Similar to Bhojpuri [bho]. Hindu.

Iraq

Language name	Domari
Population	22,900 in Iraq (2000).
Alternate names	Middle Eastern Romani
Comments	People called ‘Zott’. Muslim.

Israel

Language name	Domari
Population	2,000 in Israel (1997 Y. Matras). Palestinian West Bank and Gaza.
Region	Mainly Jerusalem (old city), Bir Zeit near Ramallah, and Gaza.
Alternate names	Nawari, Near-Eastern Gypsy
Dialects	Nawari.
Language use	All ages. Also use South Levantine Spoken Arabic [ajp].
Comments	A large number of loanwords from Arabic [arb], Kurdish, and some other Iranian languages. Muslim.

Jordan

Language name	Domari
Population	4,910 in Jordan (2000).
Alternate names	Barake, Gypsy, Kurbat, Middle Eastern Romani, Nawar, Tsigene
Dialects	Nawar, Kurbat, Barake.
Comments	Arabic influence. Muslim.

Libya

Language name	Domari
Population	33,000 in Libya (2006).
Dialects	Helebi.
Comments	Muslim.

Palestinian West Bank and Gaza

Language name	Domari
Population	2,000 in Palestinian West Bank and Gaza (1997). Israel.
Region	Gaza and Bir Zeit near Ramallah.
Alternate names	Nawari, Near-Eastern Gypsy
Dialects	Nawari.
Language use	All ages. Also use South Levantine Spoken Arabic [ajp].
Comments	Many loanwords from Arabic, Kurdish, and some other Iranian languages. Muslim.

Russian Federation (Europe)

Language name	Domari
Population	500 in Russian Federation (2006).
Region	Karachi in the Caucasus; Luli and Maznoug in Uzbekistan.
Dialects	Karachi, Luli, Maznoug.
Comments	Muslim.

Sudan

Language name	Domari
Region	North.
Comments	Main clans in Sudan: Halabi, Ghajar.

Syria

Language name	Domari
Population	37,000 in Syria (2005).
Region	Nawar is in Palestine, Syria, and Egypt; Kurbat in Syria and western Iran; Helebi in Egypt and Libya; Karachi in north Turkey, the Caucasus of the Russian Federation; and north Iran; Domaki and Wogri-Boli in India; Barake in Syria; Luli and Maznoug in Uzbekistan; other groups in Iran; Churi-Wali in Afghanistan.
Alternate names	Barake, Gypsy, Kurbat, Middle Eastern Romani, Nawar, Tsigene
Dialects	Nawar, Kurbati, Beirut, Nablos, Barake.
Comments	Arabic influence. Muslim.

Turkey (Europe)

Language name	Domari
Population	28,500 in Turkey (2000).
Region	Mainly west; some east.
Alternate names	Gypsy, Middle Eastern Romani, Tsigene
Dialects	Karachi, Beludji, Marashi.
Comments	500,000 Gypsies in Turkey speak Domari or varieties of Romani (Gunnemark and Kenrick 1985). Muslim.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BOERGER, Brenda H., author. 1984. Proto-Romanes phonology.