Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Kalasa-alā, Waigalī, Wai-alā, Waigeli, Waygalī, Kalasha-ala
CLASSIFICATION		Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Nuristani
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		wbk
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Chima-Nishey Varjan Zamyākī
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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Information from: “Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)” . M. Paul Lewis · SIL International

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1,500
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Speaker number data: (Van Driem 2000)

PLACES: Afghanistan;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Southeast Nuristan, Central Kunar Province north of Pech. Varjan in north Waigal Valley, Waigal, Zonchigal, Jamach, Ameshdesh villages, and east in Veligal Valley villages; Chima-Nishey in lower valley villages

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS: The Nūrestānī languages (also known traditionally as Kafiri languages) are sometimes included as a western subgroup of the Dardic group of languages (see Shaw, 1876, pp. 146-47; Grierson; Morgenstierne, 1945; idem, 1974). They are the languages of Afghan Nūrestān, known as Kafiristan until the people adopted Islam on the eve of the 20th century. This subgroup includes Kati (including the eastern dialect Bashgali), Waigali (or Wai, Wai-alā), and related Tregami (or Gambiri) and Zemiaki; Ashkun and the closely related language or dialect Wamai; and Prasun (or Paruni, Wasin-veri, Veron). These languages have much in common with the Dardic languages and are spoken in close geographical proximity to them, but their origin is not the same (see below). The attribution of the Dameli language, which exhibits both Nūrestānī and Dardic features, is not clear. Some authors also include in the Dardic group the Ḍumaki language, spoken by a people scattered in groups in Hunza and Nagar. Genetically, however, it belongs to the Central Indo-Aryan languages (being close to Gypsy), rather than to the Dardic group.

PLACES: Part of Nūrestān and adjacent areas along the Kabul river and its tributaries in the mountain region that encompasses northeastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and northwestern India

More on Orthography: It was not written down until recently.

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: The Nuristani languages are spoken almost entirely within the confines of the area of northeast Afghanistan known as Nuristan. It is a land of high mountains and deep valleys, with forests and mountain pastures.

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
2,000
Native speakers worldwide

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
1,500
Native speakers worldwide

	Proceedings of the British Academy		2002	The Nuristani Languages	Indo-Iranian Languages and Peoples	103-117	Nicholas Sims-Williams	Oxford University Press		116			Degener, Almuth	Degener, Almuth. 2002. "The Nuristani Languages." In Indo-Iranian Languages and Peoples, edited by Nicholas Sims-Williams. 116: 103-117. Oxford University Press.	HHOLD							The Nuristani languages are spoken almost entirely within the confines of the area of northeast Afghanistan known as Nuristan. It is a land of high mountains and deep valleys, with forests and mountain pastures.
			1994	Dardestān ii. Language					Encyclopedia Iranica			http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dardestan-#i	Edel'man, D.I.	D.I. Edel'man. 1994. "Dardestān Ii. Language." In Encyclopedia Iranica, Online: http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dardestan-#i.					The Nūrestānī languages (also known traditionally as Kafiri languages) are sometimes included as a western subgroup of the Dardic group of languages (see Shaw, 1876, pp. 146-47; Grierson; Morgenstierne, 1945; idem, 1974). They are the languages of Afghan Nūrestān, known as Kafiristan until the people adopted Islam on the eve of the 20th century. This subgroup includes Kati (including the eastern dialect Bashgali), Waigali (or Wai, Wai-alā), and related Tregami (or Gambiri) and Zemiaki; Ashkun and the closely related language or dialect Wamai; and Prasun (or Paruni, Wasin-veri, Veron). These languages have much in common with the Dardic languages and are spoken in close geographical proximity to them, but their origin is not the same (see below). The attribution of the Dameli language, which exhibits both Nūrestānī and Dardic features, is not clear. Some authors also include in the Dardic group the Ḍumaki language, spoken by a people scattered in groups in Hunza and Nagar. Genetically, however, it belongs to the Central Indo-Aryan languages (being close to Gypsy), rather than to the Dardic group.		Part of Nūrestān and adjacent areas along the Kabul river and its tributaries in the mountain region that encompasses northeastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and northwestern India
0199255911			2005	The World Atlas of Language Structures			Bernard Comrie and David Gil and Martin Haspelmath and Matthew S. Dryer	Oxford University Press			New York			2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.									35.0,71.25
		16	2009	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)			M. Paul Lewis	SIL International			Dallas, TX	http://www.ethnologue.com/		Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)	ll_pub	1,500	1000-9999	Speaker number data: (Van Driem 2000)		Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	Afghanistan;	Southeast Nuristan, Central Kunar Province north of Pech. Varjan in north Waigal Valley, Waigal, Zonchigal, Jamach, Ameshdesh villages, and east in Veligal Valley villages; Chima-Nishey in lower valley villages
		3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger				UNESCO Publishing			Paris	http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub	2,000	1000-9999			Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)			35.1895,71.1941
				Glottolog								http://www.glottolog.org/glottolog/		"Glottolog." Online: http://www.glottolog.org/glottolog/.									35.033261, 70.984706
				World Oral Literature Project								http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.		1,500	1000-9999			Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Waigali

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,500

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

2,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,500

Discussion

Waigali

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,500

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

2,000

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

1,500

Discussion

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