Baloch People - Baluchi Language

Baluchi Language

The Balochi language is spoken in Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf Arab states, Turkmenistan, and as far as East Africa and some Western countries. It is classified as a member of the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family, which includes Kurdish, Persian, Pashto, Dari, Tajik and Ossetian. The Baluchi language has the closest similarities to Kurdish, Avestan, old Persian and other Iranian languages.

Two main dialects are spoken in Sistan va Balochestan and Balochestan: Eastern and Western. The exact number of Baluch speakers is difficult to know, but the estimated number could be around 15 million. The majority speak Western Baluchi, which is also the dialect that has been most widely used in Baluchi literature. Within the Western dialect are two further dialects, Rakhshani and Nousherwani (spoken mainly in the northern areas) and Makurani (in the south).

The Baluch have several tribes and sub-tribes. Some of these tribes speak Brahui, while most speak Balochi. Multilingualism is common, with many Baluch speaking both Brahui and Baluchi. The Marri, Magsi, Domki and Bugti tribe speak Balochi. The Mengal tribe, who live in the Chagai, Khuzdar, Kharan districts of Balochistan and in southern parts of Afghanistan, speak Brahui. The Muhammad Hasni tribe speak Brahui, Balochi and some other languages according to the area they are living. The Lango tribe, who live in central Balochistan in the Mangochar area, speak Brahui as their first language and Balochi as their second. The Bizenjo tribe speak both languages. The Bangulzai tribe mostly speaks Brahui, but has a Baluchi-speaking minority known as Garani.

The Mazari and Jamali tribe widely speak Baluchi or both dialects as well as Sindhi language. The Malghani are part of the Nutkani tribe, which is the largest tribe in the Tehsil. The Talpur, Mastoi(sub-tribe of Rind), Jatoi, Gabol, Lashari, Chandio, Mirani, Nutkani, Ahmedani, Jagirani, Marri, Magsi, Domki, Khosa, Bozdar, Jiskani, Bijarani, Hesbani, Magsi, Leghari, Lashari, Kalpar, Korai, Zardari, Rind, Bhurgari, Jakhrani, and other Baluch tribes that are settled in Sindh speak Sindhi, Baluchi and Seraiki. The Gadhi and Qaisrani Baluch living near Taunsa Sharif in the Punjab province of Pakistan speak Seraiki and Baluchi, while their clansmen living in Dera Ghazi Khan tribal areas speak Baluchi. The Lund Baluch living in Shadan Lund speak Sindhi, Seraiki and Baluchi. The Leghari, Lashari, Soomrani, Pitafi, Korai, and Kunara Baluch in the Dera Ismail Khan and Mianwali districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa speak Seraiki as their first language. The Tauqi Baluch in the Khara, Noshki, Chaghai and Washuk districts of Balochistan can speak both Baluchi and Brahui, but their primary language is Baluchi. The Buzdar is one of the largest tribes of Baluch in southern Punjab, living in the Koh-e-Suleman range tribes speak Seraiki and Baluchi. Changwani Baluch with lands in Chotti Zaren speak Seraiki and Baluchi.