Jadgali language
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Jaḍgālī is an
Indo-Aryan language The Indo-Aryan languages (or sometimes Indic languages) are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family. As of the early 21st century, they have more than 800 million speakers, primarily concentrated in India, Pa ...
spoken by the
Jadgal The Jadgal (also known as Nummaṛ or az-zighālī) are a Sindhi- Baloch ethno-linguistic group who speak the Jadgali language. They are found in the Balochistan region of Iran and Pakistan. History Jadgals originally came from Sind and ...
, an ethno-linguistic group of
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
and
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. It is one of only two Indo-Aryan languages found on the
Iranian plateau The Iranian plateau or Persian plateau is a geological feature in Western Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia. It comprises part of the Eurasian Plate and is wedged between the Arabian Plate and the Indian Plate; situated between the Zagros ...
. It is a dialect of
Sindhi Sindhi may refer to: *something from, or related to Sindh, a province of Pakistan * Sindhi people, an ethnic group from the Sindh region * Sindhi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them People with the name * Sarkash Sindhi (1940–2012 ...
most closely related to Lasi. The majority of the Jadgali population is found in Pakistan, where a 2004 estimate placed it at 15,600, and in Iran, where according to a 2008 estimate it is at least 25,000. There are also immigrant communities in
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
and the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East, The Middle East). It is ...
, where the Jadgal are known as ' or '. In Iran at least two varieties are spoken, which are reportedly not easily intercomprehensible.Based on the testimony of one speaker. . The term ''Jadgal'' is of Balochi origin, but it is nowadays used by the Jadgal themselves, alongside their earlier endonym ''Nummaṛ'', which is the source of the language names ''Nummaṛī'' and ''Nummaṛikī''. Jadgali is underdocumented. According to Emeneau, it is likely to have been the source of early Indo-Aryan influences on Balochi and Brahui and therefore studies of the language could help bring insights into the linguistic history of the area.


In Iran

In Iran, Jadgali is spoken in the Dashtyari region in the south and south-east of Sistan and Balochistan Province, particularly in Pullān, Pīr Suhrāb and Bāhū Kalāt; all neighbouring communities are Balochi-speaking. Most speakers of Jadgali ethnically self-identify as Jadgal, while a small number see themselves as Jadgal-Baloch. In wider contexts, they identify as Baloch, and are fully accepted as such by the Balochi speakers, with whom they are physically and culturally indistinguishable. The Jadgal claim to be of Baloch origin and to have changed their language because of interactions with their neighbours at the time when they were settled in Las Bela, a region at the eastern end of Balochistan. According to this story, they left their homeland after a defeat from the ruler of
Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
and then moved westward, eventually settling in Dashtyari during the reign of Shah Abbas. Balochi is the language of wider communication, all male adults are bilingual in it, and it is more likely to be the one passed on to children in mixed marriages. However, attitudes to Jadgali are positive and the language is vital. Persian is used relatively often. In addition to Balochi TV programmes, some people also watch Sindhi-language broadcasts from Pakistan.


References


Bibliography

* * * * (access limited). * {{Indo-Aryan languages Languages of Iran Languages of Balochistan, Pakistan Western Indo-Aryan languages