Sindhi

A language of Pakistan

Balochistan province: Khuzdar and Lasbela districts; Sindh province: widespread, Indus river lower reaches; Hyderabad, Karachi.

Also spoken in:

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Afghanistan

Language NameSindhi

User Population

21,000 in Afghanistan (2017 J. Leclerc).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Belize

Language NameSindhi

User Population

1,200 in Belize (2011).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Canada

Language NameSindhi

User Population

11,900 in Canada (2016 census).

Dialects

Bhatia, Jadeji, Kayasthi, Lari, Lasi, Thareli, Thari, Viccholi, Visholi.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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India

Language NameSindhi

User Population

1,740,000 in India (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,000,000.

Location

Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh states.

Dialects

Bhatia, Jadeji, Kayasthi, Lari, Lasi, Thareli, Thari, Viccholi, Visholi.

Language Status

7 (Shifting). Statutory language of provincial identity in Rajasthan State (1950, Constitution, Articles 345–347), Schedule VIII addition, 1961.

Language Use

Many Sindhi do not learn their traditional ethnic language. Adults only. Mainly women and older adult speakers. Shifting to Hindi [hin]. Also use English [eng].

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools through grade 5 and as subject thereafter in Rajasthan state.

Other Comments

Official language of the Sindhi community. Hindu.

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Kenya

Language NameSindhi

User Population

3,300 in Kenya (2020 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Malaysia

Language NameSindhi

User Population

30,000 in Malaysia (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Oman

Language NameSindhi

User Population

14,700 in Oman (2020).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Philippines

Language NameSindhi

User Population

20,000 in Philippines (1997).

Location

Metro Manila, mostly in family groups.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. They established retail shops, beginning around 1900 and have moved more into wholesale, finance and other types of enterprises. They have managed to preserve at least some of their cultural heritage.

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Saudi Arabia

Language NameSindhi

User Population

251,000 in Saudi Arabia (2020).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Singapore

Language NameSindhi

User Population

3,970 in Singapore (2010 census).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United Arab Emirates

Language NameSindhi

User Population

109,000 in United Arab Emirates (2020).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United States

Language NameSindhi

User Population

8,970 in United States (2015 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Language Use

Most also use English [eng].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of United States

Sindhi

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A language of Pakistan

Also spoken in:

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