Palula

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A language of Pakistan

ISO 639-3
phl
Alternate Names
Biyori, Dangarikwar, Palola, Phalulo, Phalura
User Population

14,400 (2018). Population of Ashret and Biori Valleys is almost completely monolingual (Liljegren 2008).

Location

Khyber Pakhtunkwa province: Chitral district, Ashret and Biori, 12 villages on lower east Chitral river; some in main valley, Kalkatak, and Shishi Koh valley, Purigal; some in Dir Kohistan. Ashret valley (Ashreti dialect); Biori valley, Kalkatak, and Purigal (northern Palula dialect).

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Northwestern, Dardic, Shina
Dialects

Ashreti, Northern Palula. No, or limited, intelligibility of Kalkoti [xka] and Savi [sdg]. Lexical similarity: 92% with Ashreti and Northern Palula dialects, 56%–58% with Savi [sdg] in Afghanistan, 38%–42% with Kohistani Shina [plk]. Palula, Kalkoti [xka] (spoken in Dir Kohistan) and Savi [sdg] (spoken in Afghanistan) form a cluster of closely related varieties within the Shina group (Liljegren 2008).

Language Use

Vigorous within Ashret and Biori valleys. Reluctant to use Palula when speakers of other languages are present. Home, community. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Most also use Khowar [khw]. Many also use Northern Pashto [pbu]. Many also use Urdu [urd].

Language Development

Literature. Dictionary.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Palula
Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], in development. Arabic script, Nastaliq variant [Aran], primary usage.

Other Comments

Muslim.