Page Type: languageWakhi | Ethnologue

WBL ISO 639-3

Wakhi

A language of Afghanistan

ISO 639
wbl
Alternate Names
Khik, Khikwar, Vakhan, Wakhani, Wakhigi
Population
17,000 in Afghanistan (2011 S. Beck), increasing. Ethnic population: 17,000. Total users in all countries: 52,200.
Location:
Badakhshan province: Wakhan district, Panj river area to Sarhad village; Khandud village is the center. 42 villages.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern, Pamir
Typology
SOV.
Language Use
Vigorous. Home, community, work. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Some also use Dari [prs], especially men.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 3%–15%. Pilot L1 literacy project ongoing (2012). Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 2001.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Wakhi
Writing
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], used in Afghanistan. Arabic script, Nastaliq variant [Aran], used in handwriting and for book titles. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used in Tajikistan. Latin script [Latn], used in Pakistan, preferred script, not firmly established.
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Wakhi
User Population
6,000 in China. Ethnic population: 41,000 (2000 census). Includes Sarikoli [srh] speakers.
Location
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county (especially Daftar); mountains south of Pishan.
Dialects
Eastern Wakhi.
Language Status
7 (Shifting)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
View other languages of China
Language Name
Wakhi
User Population
14,200 in Pakistan (2018), increasing.
Location
Gilgit Baltistan province: Ghizer, Gilgit, and Hunza-Najar districts; Khyber Pakhtunkwa province: northernmost Chitral district, Baroghil, in glacier area; Chupursan, upper Ishkoman, Shimshal, and upper Yarkhun valleys; upper Hunza valley from Gulmit to Chinese and Afghanistan borders (Gojal dialect).
Dialects
Gojal, Ishkoman, Yasin, Yarkhun. Lexical similarity: 84% with Ishkoman and Gojal dialects, 89% with Yasin and Gojal, 91% with Ishkoman and Yasin.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous)
Other Comments
Muslim.
View other languages of Pakistan
Language Name
Wakhi
User Population
15,000 in Tajikistan (2012 M. Merritt). Ethnic population: 20,000 (1990 A. Kibrik).
Location
Kuhistoni Badakhshon region: Pamir mountains.
Dialects
Western Wakhi, Central Wakhi, Eastern Wakhi.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Muslim.
View other languages of Tajikistan

Map

Location: Badakhshan province: Wakhan district, Panj river area to Sarhad village; Khandud village is the center. 42 villages.