Balochi language

Balochi
بلوچی baločî Balóćí
Native to	Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan
Native speakers	7.6 million (2007)[1]
Language family	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Iranian Western Iranian Northwestern Iranian Balochi
Official status
Official language in	(Balochistan Province of Pakistan) (provincial) and (Balochistan Province of Iran)
Regulated by	Balochi Academy (Pakistan)
Language codes
ISO 639-2	bal
ISO 639-3	bal – inclusive code Individual codes: bgp – Eastern Balochi bgn – Western Balochi bcc – Southern Balochi
Linguasphere	58-AAB-a > 58-AAB-aa (East Balochi) + 58-AAB-ab (West Balochi) + 58-AAB-ac (South Balochi) + 58-AAB-ad (Bashkardi)

Balochi (also called Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranic language. It is the main language of the Baloch people of Balochistan region, Pakistan, eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. It is also spoken as a second language by some Brahui. It is one of nine official languages of Pakistan.

Dialects

Balochi has several dialects. The Ethnologue lists three dialects: Eastern Balochi, Northern Balochi, Southern Balochi and Western Balochi while the Encyclopædia Iranica (from Elfenbein) lists six dialects: Rakhshani (subdialects: Kalati, Panjguri and Sarhaddi), Saravani, Lashari, Kechi, Coastal Dialects, and Eastern Hill Balochi.

Northern Balochi dialects are settled north of Iranian Balochistan and Golestān Province of Iran, north of Nimruz Province in Afghanistan and north Chagai District of Balochistan.

Related pages

• Languages of Pakistan
• Languages of Iran
• Languages of Afghanistan

References

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