Description:

This tiny area holds both a large number of diverse languages, and some of the most politically volatile borders in the world. The area includes the Pamir Mountains, some of the highest mountains in the world. This is one of the least explored areas of Asia, due to political isolation and instability and the difficulty of traveling through the mountains.

A language of the area is Wakhi, which was once spoken in all three countries of this Hotspot and China. Due to Afghanistan's chaotic recent history, there may not be any more speakers of Wakhi left in the country. The political divisions in this language area are quite significant for its future. In Pakistan, the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association has been working to preserve the culture and language of the Wakhi people, including producing radio programs in the Wakhi language, making a computerized version of the Wakhi script, and organizing cultural shows and music festivals. In Tajikistan, though, there are no such efforts to maintain cultural pride, and only 60% of children in the ethnic group speak the language.

Genetic units found in hotspot (11):

1. Burushaski
2. Dardic
3. Dravidian
4. Indo-Aryan
5. Iranian
6. Mongolic
7. Pamiri
8. Semitic
9. Tibetic
10. Turkic
11. Unclassified

Hotspots formula:

List of languages:

Endangered languages include:

• Ormuri (1,050, Iranian, spoken in Pakistan and Afghanistan)
• Parya (2,500, Indo-Aryan, spoken in Tajikistan and Afghanistan)
• Sanglechi-Ishkashimi (1,500, Iranian, spoken in Afghanistan and Tajikistan)
• Savi (3,000, Dardic, spoken in Afghanistan and Pakistan)
• Yagnobi (< 2,000, Iranian, spoken in Tajikistan)
• Yazgulyam (2,800, Pamiri, spoken in Tajikistan)

Some features of languages in hotspot include:

Trivia:

Media:

Sources:

Felmy, Sabine. 1996. The Voice of the Nightingale: A Personal Account of Wakhi Culture in Hunza. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lorimer, D. L. R. 1958. The Wakhi Language. London: University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies.