Languages of Afghanistan

Languages of Afghanistan
Languages of Afghanistan
	Ethnolinguistic groups of Afghanistan in 1997 (Hazaragi and Tajik are dialects of Persian)
Official	Pashto, Dari
Regional	Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani
Minority	Arabic, Gujari, Urdu, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Sindhi
Foreign	English (c. 6%)
Signed	Afghan Sign Language
Keyboard layout	Pashto keyboard (ISIRI 9147);

Afghanistan is a linguistically diverse nation with upwards of 40 distinct languages spoken. Dari and Pashto serve as the two main official languages. Dari historically served as the lingua franca between different ethnic groups, particularly in the north and west and many big cities, while Pashto is the dominant language in the south and east.^[3]

Dari is spoken by over 75% of the population in Afghanistan, followed by Pashto 48%, Uzbek 11%, English 6%, Turkmen 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, and Balochi 1% (2020 est). Data represents the most widely-spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language. The Turkic languages, Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them.^[4]

Both Farsi (Persian) and Pashto are Indo-European languages from the Iranian languages sub-family. Other regional languages, such as Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, and Nuristani are spoken by minority groups across the country.

Minor languages include: Ashkunu, Kamkata-viri, Wasi-wari, Tregami, Kalasha-ala, Pamiri (Shughni, Munji, Ishkashimi and Wakhi), Brahui, Arabic, Pashai, Kyrgyz, and Punjabi.^[5] Linguist Harald Haarmann believes that Afghanistan is home to more than 40 minor languages,^[6] with around 200 different dialects.

^ "The 1997 CIA World Factbook Afghanistan" (PDF).
^ "Language data for Afghanistan".
^ "Pashto". UCLA Language Materials Project. Archived from the original on 3 January 2009. In Afghanistan, Pashto is second in prestige to Dari, the Iranian language spoken natively in the north and west. Because of the political power of the Pushtuns, however, Pashto has been a required subject in Dari middle schools, and as an official language has been one of the languages of the government. For practical purposes, however, Dari is the language of business and higher education, and so Pushtuns learn Dari.
^ The World Factbook
^ Wahab, Shaista; Youngerman, Barry (2007). A Brief History of Afghanistan. Infobase Publishing. p. 18. ISBN 9781438108193. Afghan Hindus and Sikhs speak Hindi or Punjabi in addition to Pashto and Dari.
^ Harald Haarmann: Sprachen-Almanach – Zahlen und Fakten zu allen Sprachen der Welt. Campus-Verl., Frankfurt/Main 2002, ISBN 3-593-36572-3, S.273–274; Afghanistan

[1] "The 1997 CIA World Factbook Afghanistan" (PDF).

[2] "Language data for Afghanistan".

[3] "Pashto". UCLA Language Materials Project. Archived from the original on 3 January 2009. In Afghanistan, Pashto is second in prestige to Dari, the Iranian language spoken natively in the north and west. Because of the political power of the Pushtuns, however, Pashto has been a required subject in Dari middle schools, and as an official language has been one of the languages of the government. For practical purposes, however, Dari is the language of business and higher education, and so Pushtuns learn Dari.

[4] The World Factbook

[WahabYoungerman2007-5] Wahab, Shaista; Youngerman, Barry (2007). A Brief History of Afghanistan. Infobase Publishing. p. 18. ISBN 9781438108193. Afghan Hindus and Sikhs speak Hindi or Punjabi in addition to Pashto and Dari.

[:02-6] Harald Haarmann: Sprachen-Almanach – Zahlen und Fakten zu allen Sprachen der Welt. Campus-Verl., Frankfurt/Main 2002, ISBN 3-593-36572-3, S.273–274; Afghanistan

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