Burushaski | Ethnologue

A language of Pakistan

ISO 639: bsk
Alternate Names: Biltum, Brooshaaski, Brushaski, Burucaki, Burucaski, Burushaki, Burushaski Hunza, Burushki, Miśa:ski, Mishāski
Autonym: Burushaski, بروشسکی‎ (Burushaski)
Population: 126,000 in Pakistan (2018), increasing. Total users in all countries: 126,300.
Location:: Gilgit Baltistan province: north Gilgit district areas, Hunza-Nagar and Yasin areas; scattered in Gilgit, Kashmir, and various cities.
Language Status: 6a* (Vigorous).
Classification: Language isolate
Dialects: Nagar (“Khajuna” (pej.), Nagir), Hunza (Kunjut), 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.
Typology: SOV.
Language Use: Vigorous, but acquiring Urdu [urd] borrowings. Positive attitudes. Also use Khowar [khw], especially Yasin dialect speakers. Also use Urdu [urd], especially women. Used as L2 by Domaaki [dmk], Khowar [khw], Wakhi [wbl].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 20% in Hunza, less in Nagar. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Burushaski
Writing: Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], in development. Arabic script, Nastaliq variant [Aran], primary usage. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Muslim.