Page Type: languageIshkashimi | Ethnologue

ISK ISO 639-3

Ishkashimi

A language of Afghanistan

ISO 639
isk
Alternate Names
Eshkashimi, Ishkashim, Ishkashmi
Population
2,500 in Afghanistan (2009 S. Beck), decreasing. No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 2,500 (2009 S. Beck). Total users in all countries: 3,000.
Location:
Badakhshan province: Ishkashim and Wakham districts; north of Ishkashim in Bahar Bazar, Darwan, Qaz Deh, Xermani, Zargaran, and Zayad villages.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern, Pamir
Dialects
None known. Ishkashimi intelligible to Sanglechi [sgy] speakers, but Sanglechi not intelligible to Ishkashimi speakers. Lexical similarity: 70% with Sanglechi [sgy].
Language Use
Some parents used Dari [prs] with their children to provide them with better chances in school. Only now do the people realize that this might cause the language to become endangered. About half the households use Ishkashimi with the younger generation. Home, village. Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes. All also use Dari [prs].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%. Most children now become literate in Dari [prs] because they attend school. Grammar.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Ishkashimi
Writing
Unwritten [Qaax].
Other Comments
Most Sanglechi [sgy] have a positive attitude toward Ishkashimi and consider it closely related, whereas the Ishkashimi do not have a good attitude toward Sanglechi. Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Ishkashimi
User Population
500 in Tajikistan (1990 A. Kibrik).
Location
Kuhistoni Badakhshon region: Ryn and Sumjin villages, near Ishkashim.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous)
Other Comments
Muslim.
View other languages of Tajikistan

Map

Location: Badakhshan province: Ishkashim and Wakham districts; north of Ishkashim in Bahar Bazar, Darwan, Qaz Deh, Xermani, Zargaran, and Zayad villages.