Punjabi, Western
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A language of Pakistan
90,700,000 (2015 World Factbook). Total users in all countries: 92,721,700.
Punjab province: Gujranwala, Gujrat, Kasur, Lahore, Nankana, Narowal, Shekhupura, and Sialkot districts.
5 (Developing).
Bathi, Bhatyiana (Bhatneri, Bhatti), Doab, Majhi, Malwa, Powadhi, Lahori, Punjabi Proper. A continuum of related varieties between Eastern Punjabi [pan] in India and Western Punjabi, and ‘Lahnda’. Lahnda (originally called Western Panjabi by Grierson) is a label for the dialect continuum between Hindko [hno] [hnd], Pahari-Potwari [phr], and Saraiki [skr]; Lahnda varieties are 70%–85% lexically similar to Punjabi [pan]. Lexical similarity: 70%–85% with Punjabi [pan]. A member of macrolanguage Lahnda [lah].
SOV; postpositions; gender (masculine/feminine); no articles; case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number, gender of subject; passives; tense and aspect; 15 consonant and 24 vowel phonemes; tonal (3 tones: high, mid, low).
Educated younger generations living in cities opt to use Urdu [urd] and English [eng], and parents also encourage them to use Urdu or English even at home. Home, community, religious settings. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Saraiki [skr]. Used as L2 by Aer [aeq], Northern Hindko [hno], Sansi [ssi], Southern Hindko [hnd].
Muslim, Christian.