khw ISO 639

کھووار‎ (Khowar) Autonyms

Khowar

  • Geography

    PK Gilgit Baltistan province: Gilgit district, Ghizr valley, Shandur pass to Gupis; Khyber Pakhtunkwa province: Chitral and Peshawar districts; Ishkhoman and Yasin valleys, north Swat valley, Ushu; probably in Rawalpindi and other northern cities.
  • Language Cloud

A language of Pakistan

khw
Arniya, Chitrali, Chitrari, Citrali, Kashkari, Khawar, Patu, Qashqari
کھووار‎ (Khowar)
351,000 in Pakistan (2018). Total users in all countries: 379,100.
Gilgit Baltistan province: Gilgit district, Ghizr valley, Shandur pass to Gupis; Khyber Pakhtunkwa province: Chitral and Peshawar districts; Ishkhoman and Yasin valleys, north Swat valley, Ushu; probably in Rawalpindi and other northern cities.
Northern Pakistan
3 (Wider communication). Lingua franca in Chitral and adjacent areas of Gilgit and Swat districts since the 17th century. Also spoken in Peshawar and Rawalpindi. Used at home and in literature.
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Northwestern, Dardic, Chitral
North Khowar, South Khowar, East Khowar, Swat Khowar. Northern dialect considered more pure. Related to Kalasha [kls] but different. Lexical similarity: 86%–98% among dialects.
SOV.
The most important language of Chitral. Most also use Urdu [urd], especially among the educated, and in schools. Some also use Burushaski [bsk], especially in the Gilgit District. Some also use English [eng], especially among the educated. Some also use Gawri [gwc]. Some also use Northern Pashto [pbu]. Some also use Shina [scl], especially in the Gilgit District. Used as L2 by Burushaski [bsk], Dari [prs], Gawar-Bati [gwt], Kalasha [kls], Kamviri [xvi], Kati [bsh], Palula [phl], Wakhi [wbl], Yadgha [ydg].
Literacy rate in L2: 15%–20% men, 1% women. Taught as subject in some primary schools. Newspapers. Radio. Dictionary.
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Arabic script, Nastaliq variant [Aran], primary usage.
Muslim.
OLAC resources in and about Khowar
Khowar
8,900 in Afghanistan (2017 J. Leclerc).
Badakhshan province.
5 (Dispersed)
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Afghanistan
Khowar
19,200 in India (2000).
Jammu and Kashmir state.
5 (Dispersed)
Non-indigenous. Muslim.
View other languages of India