Page Type: languagePunjabi, Western | Ethnologue

PNB ISO 639-3

Punjabi, Western

پنجابی‎ (Panjābī) Autonym

A language of Pakistan

ISO 639
pnb
Alternate Names
Jangli, Lahanda, Lahnda, Lahndi, Panjabi, Panjabi Proper, Punjabi, Punjapi, Shahmukhi
Autonym
پنجابی‎ (Panjābī)
Population
65,000,000 in Pakistan (2017 census). Total users in all countries: 65,375,040.
Location:
Punjab province: Chakwal, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Jhelum, Kasur, Khushab, Lahore, Mandi Bahauddin, Nankana, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Shekhupura, and Sialkot districts.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi, Western Panjabi
Dialects
Punjabi Proper (Central Punjabi, Lahori, Majhi, Standard Punjabi, Ṭheṭh Punjabi), Jhelum (Dhanni, Dhanni Boli), Khushabi (Shahpuri), Lamochari (Jatki), Sohain (Sawain), Jangli (Jangli Boli, Jhangi), Talagang (Awankari). 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]. Lexical similarity: 70%–85% with Eastern Punjabi [pan]. A member of macrolanguage Lahnda [lah].
Typology
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).
Language Use
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. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Saraiki [skr]. Used as L2 by Aer [aeq], Northern Hindko [hno], Sansi [ssi], Southern Hindko [hnd].
Language Development
Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Grammar. NT: 1819–1931.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Punjabi, Western
Writing
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Arabic script, Nastaliq variant [Aran], primary usage, also called Shahmukhi. Khojki script [Khoj]. Lahnda (Landa) script [Qaaj], no longer in use. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Muslim, Christian.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
39,000 in Afghanistan (2017 J. Leclerc).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Afghanistan
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
4,370 in Belgium (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Belgium
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
22,600 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
29,700 in Spain (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Spain
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
48,900 in United Kingdom (2011 census). All Punjabi speakers: 273,000 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 103,000 (2004).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
154,000 in India (2019 Joshua Project).
Location
Jammu and Kashmir state: Kathua, Jammu, and Samba districts; Punjab state: Gurdaspur district; possibly Delhi, Haryana.
Language Status
5 (Developing)
Other Comments
Muslim, Christian.
View other languages of India
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
72,500 in Libya (2020).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Libya
Language Name
Punjabi, Western
User Population
3,970 in Sweden (2020 census). , based on nationality.
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Sweden

Map

Location: Punjab province: Chakwal, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Jhelum, Kasur, Khushab, Lahore, Mandi Bahauddin, Nankana, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Shekhupura, and Sialkot districts.