Western Panjabi
Brief introduction to the language including anything noteworthy about the language.
Western Panjabi (-) | |
---|---|
Spoken in: | Pakistan |
Region: | - |
Total speakers: | 30-45 Million |
Ranking: | 33 |
Genetic classification: |
Indo-European Indo-Iranian |
Official status | |
Official language of: | - |
Regulated by: | - |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-1 | pa |
ISO 639-2 | lah pan |
SIL | PNB |
History
Classification
Western Panjabi is a member of the Lahnda languages, which is a member of the Northwestern zone of Indo-Aryan languages. The Indo-Aryan languages are a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages.
Geographic distribution
Western Panjabi is spoken mainly in Pakistan, but it is spoken by approximately 50,000 people in India. Western Panjabi and Eastern Panjabi language form a dialect continuum.
Official status
Although Western Panjabi is spoken by around 30 million people in Pakistan, it is not an official language of Pakistan.
Dialects
According to the Ethnologue, "Grierson said Majhi is the purest form of Panjabi."
Derived languages
Sounds
Vowels
Consonants
Phonology
Historical sound changes
Grammar
Vocabulary
Writing system
Western Panjabi is written using a Perso-Arabic script, although according to the Ethnlogue, it is not often written in Pakistan.