Language Information by Source

A Sociolinguistic Assessment of the Roshani Speech Variety in Afghanistan

Simone Beck. 2013. "A Sociolinguistic Assessment of the Roshani Speech Variety in Afghanistan." In Language Documentation & Conservation, 7: University of Hawai'i Press. Online: http://hdl.handle.net/10125/4606.

Vulnerable
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
~25,000
Native Speakers Worldwide
Domains of Use

Domain Of Use 2

Used in some non-official domains along with other languages, and remains the primary language used in the home for many community members.

2
Transmission

Transmission -1

All members of the community, including children, speak the language.

-1

Speakers

Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
No results found.
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
No results found.

Location and Context

Countries
Afghanistan; Tajikistan
Location Description

"The Roshan area is located in the Northern part of the Shighnān district. This district is located in Northeast of Badakhshan province, which is the most North-Eastern province of Afghanistan [...] Roshan consists of six villages, five of them located on the bank of the river Panj that forms the border to Tajikistan [...] While in Roshan, we were told of a small Roshani population in a side valley of the Plain of Sheva called ‘Little Sheva’ (between Shighnān and Faizabad). [...] Roshani is also spoken in Tajikistan, across the river Panj."

Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
No results found.
Speakers' Attitude
Very positive
Other Languages Used By The Community
Dari, Shughni
Number of Other Language Speakers:
Almost all
Domains of Other Languages:
Dari for education, religion, travel, trade, reading, government; Dari and Pashto in schools; Dari in religious activities; Dari and Pashto on the radio

Writing Systems

Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
none
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
"Roshani is a spoken language only. No written material exists in Roshani."

Community Members