Dehwari (دهواری, Dehwārī) is a southwestern Persian language spoken by 19,000 Dehwar people in Balochistan, Pakistan as of 2018.[1] Most of the Dehwari speakers are concentrated in Mastung, Khuzdar, Nushk, Kharan, Sarlath District, Dalbandin, and Kalat.

Dehwari
دهواری
Dehwārī
Native toPakistan
RegionBalochistan province: Kalat and Mastung
EthnicityDehwar
Native speakers
19,000 (2018)[1]
Early forms
Persian alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-3deh
Glottologdehw1238

Influence on Brahui

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Dehwari was introduced to the Brahui in the seventeenth century and the modern-day language uses many Dehwari loanwords in its vocabulary.[2]

Brahui influence

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In turn, Brahui has heavily influenced the language, which has made Dehwari a Persian dialect under heavy Brahui influence.[3] This has made Dehwari speakers bilingual in both Dehwari and Brahui, and some in Balochi, Urdu, and even English.[4]

Drop in Speakers

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The drop of speakers in Dehwari was recorded in the 1921 Indian Census, with Pashto facing the same consequences in Kalat and Mastung.[5] And in the 1931 Indian Census, the Dehwari population outside of Kalat and Mastung was only 1,795.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Dehwari at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
  2. ^ Sani, Liaquat Ali (2018). "Brahui as Native Language for a Native Dehwari Child. A case study of under Three-year old Child at Ishkina, District Mastung" (PDF). XXXIX. University of Balochistan, Quetta (Pakistan). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ "Balochi Language & Literature".
  4. ^ "Balochi is the principal language". 25 February 2011.
  5. ^ Egye, E. H. H. (1921). Census of India, 1921 (4 ed.). Government Central Press, 1923. p. 83.
  6. ^ Census of India, 1931 (Volume 1, Part 2 ed.). Government of India central publication branch, 1933. 1931. p. 511.