Balochi Dialect

1. -:Term Paper:-
“Balochi language , its dialect , history ,
origin its speakers along with its area”
Submitted by:
Umm-e-Rooman Yaqoob ( Roll No. 3 )
Submitted to:
Ma`am Memoona Khan
“The Women University Multan”

2. Balochi:
• Balochi language is spoken in Pakistan along with Iran,
Afghanistan, India, the Arab Gulf States, Turkmenistan and
East Africa. It is also classified as a member of the Iranian
group of the Indo-European language family which includes
Kurdish, Pashto, Dari, Tajik, Ossetian.
• Balochi (also called Baluchi) is a member of the Indo-Iranian
branch of the Indo-European language family.
• Balochi is closely related to other North western Iranian
languages such as Kurdish and also It has influences on other
languages in Pakistan, including Sindhi.

3. • Balochi is the main language of Balochistan (Baluchistan), a
province of Pakistan.
• It is estimated that about 20 million people speak Balochi as
their first or second language.
• They are spread over a vast area encompassing south eastern
Iran, south western Pakistan, south western Afghanistan, and
southern Turkmenistan.
• There is a large Baloch community in Oman and the United
Arab Emirates.
• Balochi is closely related to Kurdish and Persian languages.

4. Origin:
• Balochi’s origin is not known but it is hypothesized that the
Baloch people may have migrated from their homeland East
or South East of the central Caspian region in the 7th-8th
centuries AD.
• Their language is thought to have evolved between 200-700
BC from a lost language spoken on the territory of the
Parthian Empire. This may help explain why Balochi’s closest
relatives today are Kurdish and Persian (Farsi).

5. History:
• Balochistan has an eventful history dating back to the Stone
Age. According to recent research and archaeological
excavations at Mehrgarh Balochi is 9000 years old
civilization. Human settlement pattern at Mehrgarh was
unparalleled and unique, inaugurating the distinct shift from a
hunting gathering to a settled life for the first time in human
history.
• According to Balochi myths, they are descendants of Hazrat
Ameer Hamza, the uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
who settled in Halab (present-day Aleppo).

6. • Alexander the great passed through Balochistan in 325 B. C.
After his death Balochistan came under the rule of Selecus
Nicator whose descendants lost power to the Graeco-
Bactrians. The province has also witnessed the march of a
number of great conquerors and warriors such as
Macedonians, Arabs, Ghaznavies, Mongols and Mughals in
the past.
• The Muslim rule in Balochistan began in 712 A.D. The parts of
Balochistan which were ruled by the Arabs were called by
them Turan (Jhallawan area) having capital at Khuzdar and
Nudha or Buddha (Kachhi).

7. Orthography:
• Before the 19th century, Balochi was an unwritten language.
The official written language was Persian, although Balochi
was still spoken at the Baloch courts . But was not present in
the written form.
• British linguists and political historians wrote from with the
Latin script, but following the independence of Pakistan,
Baloch scholars adopted Urdu Arabic script.
• The first collection of poetry in Balochi “Gulbang” by Mir Gul
Khan Nasir was published in 1951 and incorporated the Urdu
Arabic Script.

8. • But it was much later that Sayed Zahur Shah Hashmi wrote a
comprehensive guidance on the usage of Urdu Arabic script
and standardized it as the Balochi Orthography in Pakistan.
• This work earned Sayed Hashmi the title of 'the Father of
Balochi'. Sayed's guidance are widely used in Eastern and
Western Balochistan.
• British linguists and historians introduced Balochi in written
form in Roman script; this was for the first time in history the
introduction of Balochi writing.

9. • But when Baloch poets and scholars started writing, they
refused Roman script and introduced ‘Nastaaliq’ (Persian
script), but very less Baloch linguists and scholars favoured
that and finally ‘Naskh’ (Arabic script) was introduced which
most Baloch scholars, intellectuals, and journalists favoured.
• After introduction of ‘Naskh’, Baloch scholars and linguists
began working on Balochi grammar, Balochi orthography,
and such other linguistic issues. Finally, Sayed could compile
a lot of research-oriented books regarding the history,
grammar, and orthography of Balochi language.

10. Dialect:
The Balochi language is divided in following dialects:
Eastern Balochi
Western Balochi
Northern Balochi
Southern Balochi
Each of these dialects are divided in sub-dialects. For example
Rakhshani and its sub dialects: Kalati, Panjguri and Sarhaddi),
Saravani, Lashari, Kechi, Coastal Dialects, and Eastern Hill
Balochi.

11. Northern Balochi:
• Northern Balochi dialects are settled North of Iranian
Balochistan and Golestan Province of Iran, North of Nimruz
Province in Afghanistan and North Chagai District of
Balochistan and North of Sindh in Pakistan.
• Northern Balochi dialects are similar to Northern Rakhshani
and Southern Makkorani dialects.
• Northern Balochi dialects also show some evidence of Iranian
dialect in it.

12. Southern Balochi:
• Southern Balochi in Iran are living in Southern of Sistan of
Balochistan.
• In Pakistan Southern Balochi are settled in Southern
Balochistan, Southern Sind and Karachi.
• In Oman most are settled in Muttrah but some settle along
Omani coastline and they can be found all over UAE.
• 3.4 million people speak Southern Balochi dialect.
• Pakistan, Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates .

13. Western Balochi:
• Western Balochi in Iran are living in Northwest and Southeast
of Sistan of Balochistan and very few of Western Balochi
people can speak Persian.
• In Pakistan Western Balochi are settled in northwest of
Balochistan.
• In Afghanistan they are settled along Helmand River and
Zaranj area, in the southwest desert region and Mari region in
Turkmenistan.
• 1.8 million people speak Western Balochi dialect.
• Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.

14. Eastern Balochi:
• Eastern Balochi are settle in Northwestern Balochistan,
Southwestern Punjab and Northwestern Sindh in Pakistan.
• 5 million including 1st and 2nd language speakers.
• People of Pakistan and India are commonly seeing speaking
in Eastern Balochi dialect.

15. Structure of Balochi:
• The structure of Balochi language consists of three main
concepts i.e. :
Sound system
Grammar
Vocabulary

16. Sound System:
The sound system of Balochi consists of:
• Vowels :- Balochi consists of 8 vowels. They can be short or
long. Vowel length is represented by a macron over the
vowel. /ā/ is always long. Vowel length differentiates word
meaning.
• Consonants :- Balochi permits few consonant clusters. Most
consonants can be geminated (doubled), e.g., inna ‘no’. /ʈ/,
/ɖ/, /ɳ/, and /ɽ/ are retroflex consonants which are
pronounced with the tongue curled back so that its underside
touches the roof of the mouth.

17. Grammar:
2. Nouns:
o Balochi nouns are marked for gender i.e. masculine and feminine.
o There are two numbers in Balochi : singular and plural.
o There are five cases for noun : nominative, accusative, dative,
oblique, and vocative.
o Balochi behaves like a Nominative-Accusative language, i.e., both
transitive and intransitive verbs agree with their subjects.
o There are no articles in Balochi dialect.

18. 2. Verbs:
Balochi verbs are marked for the following categories.
o tense: past and non-past (the same endings are used for present and
future tenses, just like in Slavic languages).
o aspect: imperfective and perfective verbs.
o mood: indicative, imperative, interrogative, subjunctive.
o voice: active and passive mode.
3. Word order:
Like all other languages the word order in Balochi is also Subject-
Object-Verb.

19. Vocabulary:
• The vocabulary of Balochi dialects is influenced by the
languages of the countries where these dialects are spoken.
• Thus, Southern Balochi contains many words of Arabic origin,
whereas Eastern Balochi has a number of borrowings from
Persian.
• So , the vocabulary of Balochi language is different from place
to place.

20. Education:
• In 1989, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto gave permission for
the use of local languages (Balochi, Pushto, Brahui) in primary
education in Balochistan, however there have been several
problems associated with this program of mother-tongue
education such as that the lack of teachers who are capable of
implementing the program and the fact that many parents
want their children to learn Urdu and English not a language
that will be of little use outside of the immediate community.

21. Progress of Balochi :
• The Balochi literature was on the verge of decline before
partition but after partition, however it received little boost
when Radio Pakistan, Karachi began its broadcast in Balochi
language.
• The Balochi literary Association was set up which published
many magazines and articles in Balochi language.
• A weekly magazine known as “Nan Kessan” was published. A
monthly known as “Olassis” was also published

22. • With the establishment of Quetta Television Station the
Balochi language received great status.
• Balochi prose has also developed a great deal after partition.
• Translation of the Bible has also been published in Balochi
language.
• Dramas , plays and poems written in Balochi became a great
deal of interest for people.
• Radio and Television stared working for the progress of
Balochi literature .

23. • Now there is a Balochi Studies section at the Balochistan
University in Quetta which teaches and researches the
Balochi language and literature.
• In addition there is a Balochi Academy, also located in Quetta,
which both publishes literary works in Balochi and supports
the work of literary organisations.
• The Academy receives limited government funding.
• There are several Balochi language publications in Pakistan,
the two most prominent being Balochi (published in the
provincial capital, Quetta) and Labzank (published in
Karachi).

24. Balochi Literature:
• The history of Balochi literature may be divided into four
periods:
• 1. Early Medieval Period – 1430 to 1600
• 2. Later Medieval Period – 1600 to 1850
• 3. Modern Period – 1850 to 1930
• 4. Contemporary Period – 1930 up to date

25. Literary Figures:
Some of the most literacy figures are whose work is prominent
in Balochi are:-
o Syed Zahur Shah Hashmi
o Azad Jamaldini
o Ulfat Naseem
o Abdul Qadir Shahwani
o Malik Mohammad Ramzan
o Mir Aaqil Maingal

26. Poets:
• Atta Shah is a famous Balochi poet of Pakistan.
• Ishaq Shamim is another famous poet of Balochi language
whose poem “Dulhan” is very popular.
• The renowned politician Gul Khan Naseer is also considered a
good poet of Balochi language.
• Jam Darag ,Shah Murid ,Shahdad are also renowned poets of
Balochi language.

27. Climate:
The climate of Balochistan is very cold in winters. Record
breaking weather is seen in winters . Also in summers the
temperature raises to an extent. So all the climates can be seen in
Balochistan.
• The climate of the upper highlands is characterised by both
i.e. very cold winters and hot summers.
• In the lower highlands, winters vary from extremely cold in
Northern districts such as Ziarat, Quetta, Kalat, Muslim Baagh
and Khanozai to milder conditions closer to the Makran coast.

28. • Winters are mild on the plains, where temperature never
falling below freezing point.
• Summers are hot and dry, especially in the arid zones of
Chaghai and Kharan districts.
• The highest temperature, 53 °C (127 °F), was recorded in Sibi
on 26 May 2010,exceeding the previous record, 52 °C (126
°F).
• Other hot areas includes, Turbat, and Dalbandin.
• The desert climate is characterised by hot and very arid
conditions. Occasionally strong windstorms make these areas
very inhospitable.

29. Culture:
• Balochistan is an area of barren lands, deserts and mountains,
while the Baloch culture is full of traditions, arts and crafts.
• Balochi embroidery is one of the most popular arts and crafts
which are done by the females and is very famous
• Balochistan is also known for its tribes and festivals.
• Another distinct feature of Baloch culture is the storytelling
tradition.
• Poets and story tellers are highly respected in Baloch culture.

30. Dressing of Balochi people:
• Like their Aryan ancestors, Baloch always wear white clothes .
In recent times over-coat or waist-coat, kaba, which was
usually embroidered in different colours is used by noblemen.
Turban is the common headwear of Bloch men along with
wide loose shalwar along with knee-long shirts. And Chawaat
is the common shoes wore by all
Baloch .

31. • Women wear loose shirts or gowns known as Gagga and
trousers . They wear large loose shirt which cover her from
neck to the feet . The gown is ornamented with a profusion of
needle-work of various matching colours . The shirt have a
large front pocket, pandol , near the knees which is also
embroidered. A big Dupatta/ Chaddar is taken to cover the
head and shoulders. Thread work and mirror
work is preferred a lot.

32. Jewellery:
• The primitive Baloch thought that jewellery could ward off
evil and protect persons from vicious elements .
• Still now Balochi women wear heavy jewellery in large
number.
• Balochi women wore durr (earrings), pulluk (rings in nose),
touk (necklace and bracelets ,
sanga (rings around hands),
bahuband (armlets).

33. Festivals:
• Along with Eid's Balochi people also have other festivals.
• Baloch culture is full of social festivals like Sibi festival which
has folk music performance, cultural dances, handicrafts
stalls, cattle shows and a number of other entertaining
activities showing the colourful side of Baloch people.
• Buzkashi is another festival showing rather enhancing the
bravery tactfulness and bravery of Baloch people. It is
celebrated on horse-back by two teams that use their skills to
snatch a goat from the each other.

34. Music:
• The Balochi sur or raags which could be termed Zaheerag
because of their general characterization of melancholy
pattern, could be categorized under two main heads: Balochi
and Kurdi .

35. Food:
• “Sajji” is the favourite dish of most people. Sajji is the food
eaten with knife other than that Baloch people usually eat
with hands. Milk, butter and vegetables are also part of
Baloch cuisine.
• Sajji have gained massive popularity
among different parts of Pakistan,
including the food hubs of Karachi
and Lahore.

36. • Khadda Kabbab is a dish in which Balochistanis cook a whole
lamb or goat over a fire. Usually there is raw rice in the
stomach of the lamb and the rice is cooked by the fats of the
lamb. The lamb is cooked over a fire.
• Dampukht is also a Balochi dish which is prepared with meat
and it is cooked in fats.

37. Quetta:
• Quetta is the capital of Balochistan . In northern Balochistan
near the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, Quetta is a trade
and communication centre between the three countries.
• Quetta derives its name
from the
Balochi word "Kuwatta",
which means a fort .

38. Hanna Lake:
• Hanna lake or Hanna Orak is a beautiful and eye refreshing
place of Balochistan near Quetta.
• People visit there to enjoy themselves. Beautiful view of
mountains along with waterfalls is also seen there.
• Not only people from Quetta
visit Hanna orak but also
people from other cities come to
see it.

39. Ziarat:
• The British weren't the only ones to appreciate Ziarat - so too
did Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Quaid-e-Azam (Great Leader).
Jinnah spent his last days here in 1948.
• The furniture is left just as it was when Jinnah stayed here
before returning to Karachi to die.

40. My personal Experience:
I my self got an opportunity to interact with Baloch people.
They are the people with pure and big heart . They never love
you or care for you for their any personal sake or interest rather
they are far away from such matters.
Baloch people are as much from outside as the are from inside.
I know a lot about them , their culture , their festivals , their food
as I meet them each and every year since my childhood.

41. Also I can`t deny the beauty of Balochistan . Natural beauty is
seen in its best form as the people there are natural same is the
case where they live .
I visited Ziarat , Quetta ,Hanna lake , Loralai , Zhob , Qila
Saifullah , and many other places of Balochistan several times
and believe me one feels relaxed there.
Beautiful mountains along with natural waterfalls are present
which soothes one`s mind .
People there are so much friendly that we feel like a family
sitting with them.

42. My Personal Pictures:
Here are some of my personal photos of Hanna Orak .
Natural water fall known there as Abshaar contain fresh pure
and natural water .
Mountains are best for hiking.
Fruits as irrigated from fresh and clean water are very tasty and
fresh .
I hope if one visit there personally would surely agree what I
said.

44. References:
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.slideshare.com
 www.guesspapers.net
 www.balochilinguist.wordpress.com
 http://aboutworldlanguages.com/
 www.mestaagbaloch.wordpress.com
 http://users.tpg.com.au/
 http://www.ilovebalochistan.com/
 http://baask.com/
 www.iranicaonline.org