Burushaski

BSK

vigorous

Alternate Names: Biltum, Brushaski, Burucaki, Burucaski, Burushaki, Burushki, Khajuna, Kunjut

Dialects: Hunza, Nagar (Nagir), Yasin (Werchikwar). Yasin is geographically separated from other dialects. Lexical similarity: 91%–94% between Nagar and Hunza dialects, 67%–72% between Yasin and Hunza, 66%–71% between Yasin and Nagar.

Genealogy:

Language isolate

Demographics: 87,000 in Pakistan (2000), increasing.

Language Use: Vigorous, but acquiring Urdu [urd] borrowings. Positive attitudes. Yasin speakers also use Khowar [khw]. Women also use Urdu [urd]. Used as L2 by Domaaki [dmk], Khowar [khw], Wakhi [wbl].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 20% in Hunza, less in Nagar.

Typology: SOV.

Writing System: Arabic (Nastaliq), Arabic (Naskh), Latin

Nation of Origin: Pakistan

Other Comments: Muslim (Shi’a), Muslim (Sunni).