Wakhi

A language of Afghanistan

Khik, Khikwar, Vakhan, Wakhani, Wakhigi

User 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 Maps

Afghanistan

China

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Northern Pakistan

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:

Expand All

Collapse All

China

Language NameWakhi

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.

Alternate Names

Khik, Khikwar, Vakhan, Wakhani, Wakhigi

Dialects

Eastern Wakhi.

Language Status

7 (Shifting). Language of recognized nationality: Tajik.

Language Use

Shifting to Mandarin Chinese [cmn].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 87% in any language (2000 census, Tajik nationality).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

View other languages of China

Pakistan

Language NameWakhi

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).

Alternate Names

Khik, Khikwar, Vakhan, Wakhani, Wakhigi, X̌ik zik, X̌ikwor, Xhikwor

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).

Language Use

Home, villages. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Most also use Urdu [urd], especially men and young people; less than half the women and few older people in remote areas speak it. Some also use Burushaski [bsk], especially older people and those who live in villages in Gojal. Some also use Khowar [khw].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: Quite high in Gojal dialect. Literacy is primarily in Urdu [urd] and English [eng]. Some are now using an English-Roman based alphabet to write, especially on social network websites.

Other Comments

Muslim.

View other languages of Pakistan

Tajikistan

Language NameWakhi

User Population

15,000 in Tajikistan (2012 M. Merritt). Ethnic population: 20,000 (1990 A. Kibrik).

Location

Kuhistoni Badakhshon region: Pamir mountains.

Alternate Names

Guhjali, Khik, Khikwar, Vakhan, Wakhani, Wakhigi

Dialects

Western Wakhi, Central Wakhi, Eastern Wakhi.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Language Use

Some domains. Some of all ages. Positive attitudes. Many also use Shughni [sgh]. Also use Tajik [tgk], as literary language.

Other Comments

Muslim.

View other languages of Tajikistan

Wakhi

Primary tabs

A language of Afghanistan

Also spoken in:

Browse by

25th Edition

Products

Related Sites