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Punjabi Language Facts
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| Extinct: no |
| Family: Indo-European |
| Branch: Indic |
| Continent: Asia |
| Country: India |
| Region: WESTERN: Mainly in the Punjab area of Pakistan. Also spoken in Afghanistan, Canada, India, UAE, United Kingdom, USA. EASTERN: Punjab, Majhi in Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts, Bhatyiana in South Ferozepore District; Rajasthan, Bhatyiana in north Ganganagar District; Haryana; Delhi; Jammu and Kashmir. Also spoken in Bangladesh, Canada, Fiji, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, UAE, United Kingdom, USA. MIRPUR: Kashmir, Mirpur area, near Pakistan border. Also possibly in Pakistan. Also spoken in United Kingdom. |
| Countries Where Spoken: WESTERN: 30,000,000 to 45,000,000 in Pakistan (1981 census). Population total all countries 30,000,000 to 45,000,000. India. EASTERN: Punjab, Majhi in Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts, Bhatyiana in South Ferozepore District; Rajasthan, Bhatyiana in north Ganganagar District; Haryana; Delhi; Jammu and Kashmir. Also spoken in Bangladesh, Canada, Fiji, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, UAE, United Kingdom, USA. Kenya, Singapore. MIRPUR: 98 in Jammu and Kashmir (1961 census). Population total both countries 20,000 to 30,000 or more. |
| Countries Where Official: Pakistan, India |
| Native Speakers: 30,000,000 |
| Speakers Total: 45,000,000 |
| Phrasebase members who speak this language at a native level: 0 |
| Phrasebase members who speak this language at a conversational level: 0 |
| Phrasebase members primary language they are trying to learn: 0 |
| Phrasebase members secondary language they are trying to learn: 0 |
| Three Letter Code: PNB |
| Alternative Names: WESTERN PUNJABI, LAHNDA, LAHANDA, LAHNDI, PUNJABI, GURMUKHI, GURUMUKHI, MIRPURI |
| Dialects: |
| Summary: WESTERN: There is a continuum of varieties between Eastern and Western Panjabi, and with Western Hindi and Urdu. 'Lahnda' is a name given earlier for Western Panjabi; an attempt to cover the dialect continuum between Hindko, Pahari-Potwari, and Western Panjabi in the north and Sindhi in the south. Grierson said Majhi is the purest form of Panjabi. Several dozen dialects. The Balmiki (Valmiki) sweeper caste in Attock District speak a dialect of Panjabi. Perso-Arabic script used, but not often written in Pakistan. Radio programs, films, TV. Mainly Muslim; Christian. NT 1819-1952. EASTERN: Western Panjabi is distinct from Eastern Panjabi, although there is a chain of dialects to Western Hindi (Urdu). Bhatyiana considered to be a mixture of Panjabi and Rajasthani. See separate entry for Dogri-Kangri. Gurumukhi is associated with Sikhs. Different from Majhi in India and Nepal. Investigation needed: intelligibility with dialects. National language. Grammar. Gurmukhi script, a variant of Devanagari; Bhatyiana uses Devanagari script. Sikh, Muslim (Bhatneri). Bible 1959-1984. MIRPUR: Distinct from Western Panjabi, although closely related. |
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