Pashai, Northwest

A language of Afghanistan

Northwest Pashayi, Pashai

70,000 (2011 SIL). Total Pashai speakers in Afghanistan: 366,000 (2020 World Factbook).

Kabul province: northwest of Kabul; Kapisa, Kunar, Laghman, and Nuristan provinces; some in Nangarhar and Parwan provinces; Alisheng valley and others north of Sarobi.

Language Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Classification

Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Northwestern, Dardic, Pashai

Dialects

Gulbahar, Kohnadeh, Laurowan, Sanjan, Shutul, Bolaghain, Pachagan, Alasai, Shamakot, Uzbin, Pandau, Najil, Parazhghan, Pashagar, Wadau, Nangarach. Unintelligible of other Pashai speakers. Lexical similarity: approximately 30% with Southeast Pashai [psi].

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Vigorous. Many also use Northern Pashto [pbu].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Pashai, Northwest

Writing

Unwritten [Qaax].

Other Comments

Muslim.