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Shina

A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3: scl

Population	300,000 in Pakistan (1981 census), increasing. Population total all countries: 321,000.
Region	North, Gilgit District, scattered villages in Yasin and Ishkoman valleys, Punial, Gilgit, Haramosh, lower Hunza Valley; Diamer District, Chilas area, Darel and Tangir valleys, Astor Valley; scattered areas of Baltistan District, Satpara, Kharmang, Kachura, and other small valleys; NWFP, east part of Kohistan District, Sazin, Harban. Also in India.
Language map	Northern Pakistan, reference number 15
Alternate names	Brokpa, Shinaki, Sina
Dialects	Gilgiti (Gilgit, Punial, Hunza-Nagar, Bagrote, Haramosh, Rondu, Bunji), Astori (Astor, Gurezi, Dras, Satpara, Kharmangi), Chilasi Kohistani (Chilas, Darel, Tangir, Sazin, Harban). Gilgit functions as the language standard. Shina is the primary language in Gilgit and Diamer districts. Lexical similarity: 79%–99% within Gilgiti (Northern) dialect subgroup, 81%–96% with Astori (Eastern) subgroup, 84%–98% with Chilas (Diamer) subgroup.
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northwestern zone, Dardic, Shina
Language use	Good vitality. All domains. All ages. Positive attitude.
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: Urdu. Bible portions: 1929.
Writing system	Arabic script.
Comments	‘Brokpa’ is used for Shina speakers in Baltistan and Ladakh. ‘Brokskat’ refers to their language and also is used semiofficially in India to refer to a highly divergent variety of Shina spoken by Buddhists. Muslim (Shi’a and Sunni).

Also spoken in:

India

Language name	Shina
Population	21,000 in India (2006).
Region	North Kashmir, Dras Valley, Kishenganga Valley, Gurais area.
Alternate names	Shinaki, Sina
Dialects	Drasi, Gurezi.
Language use	Many in Dras Valley also speak Purik [prx], but there are villages in Dras Valley where only Shina is spoken.
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 31% for Tamil Nadu.
Comments	Called ‘Shin’. Open to education and jobs outside the area. Distinct from Brokskat [bkk]. Buddhist, traditional religion, Muslim (Sunni and Shi’a).

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

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

LILJEGREN, Henrik, author. 2009. "The Dangari tongue of Choke and Machoke: tracing the proto-language of Shina enclaves in the Hindu Kush."

RADLOFF, Carla F., author. 1992. "The dialects of Shina."

RADLOFF, Carla F., author. 1999. Aspects of the sound system of Gilgiti Shina.

RADLOFF, Carla F., author. 2003. "The solution to a linguistic mystery: the absence of diphthongs in the Shina language of Gilgit (with implications for writers and learners of Gilgiti Shina)."

RADLOFF, Carla F., author. 2008. "Indicators of language attitudes toward Shina dialects."

RADLOFF, Carla F.; SHAKIL Ahmad Shakil, authors. 1998. Folktales in the Shina of Gilgit (text, grammatical analysis and commentary).

Vernacular Publications

Alkháanoo biẓoón. 2008.

Dadi shiloke. 2007.

Dadi Shiloke. 2008.