Alternate Names: Bashgharik, Bashkarik, Baskarik, Dir Kohistani, Diri, Dirwali, Gaawro, Garwa, Garwi, Gawri, Gowri, Kalami Kohistani, Kohistana, Kohistani
Dialects: Dashwa, Kalam, Lamuti (Lamti), Rajkoti (Patrak), Thal, Ushu. Dialect differences do not hinder communication, except speakers of other dialects have difficulty with Rajkot. Lexical similarity: 90%–93% among main dialects; Rajkoti has 75% with Kalami; Dashwa has 77% with Kalami ,, and 74% with Rajkoti.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 100,000 (Baart and Sagar 2004), increasing.
Language Use: Apparently few remaining speakers of Dashwa dialect. Men have routine proficiency in Pashto, women more limited; Rajkoti men are highly proficient in Pashto. Uneducated have low proficiency in Urdu [urd]. Used as L2 by Kalkoti [xka], Khowar [khw].
Writing System: Arabic (Nastaliq)
Nation of Origin: Pakistan
Other Comments: Most widely understood indigenous language in north Swat and Dir Kohistan. Muslim.