Burushaski

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A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3
bsk
Alternate Names
Biltum, Brooshaaski, Brushaski, Burucaki, Burucaski, Burushaki, Burushaski Hunza, Burushki, Miśa:ski, Mishāski
Autonym
Burushaski, بروشسکی‎ (Burushaski)
User 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 Maps
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.

Also spoken in:

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