Dialects of Tajikestan

Pamir Dialects
The Pamir dialects refer to the languages spoken by Tajiki people residing in the Pamir highlands. These dialects are prevalent in the mountainous regions of Tajikestan, as well as, northern Afghanistan and northwestern China. They can be divided into several groups as below:

1. Shoqni (or Shoqnani) - Rushani
This group contains several closely related dialects:

- Shoqni: spoken by people residing along both sides of the Panj River, north and south of the town of Khoroq, as well as in the Gunt and Shahdareh valleys.
- Rushani: spoken by inhabitants of the Panj River area south of the Shoqni region, and the Khuf Valley.
- Bartangi: spoken in the Bartang Valley.
- Oroshori: spoken along the Bartang River.
- Sarikoli: spoken in China in the Sin Kiang province and east of the Sarikol mountains which border Tajikestan.

2. Yazqolami
Spoken along the Yazqolam River, the right branch of the Panj River.

3. Eshkashemi
Spoken along the bend of the Panj River where it turns northward. Also, around the source of the Varduj River in Afghanistan. Eshkashemi is divided into three kinds:

- Ryn: also known as the original kind of Eshkashemi dialect, spoken only in the village of Ryn.
- Zebaki: spoken around the source of Varduj.
- Sangelichi: also spoke aroung the source of Varduj.

4. Vakhi (or Vakhani)
Spoken along the upper Panj River and near its source. Vakhi is also popular in Chitral, Jamu, Kashmir, and even in Sin Kiang.

The differences between these dialects are quite significant. Such that, for example, a Vakhi speaking person would not be able to comprehend an Eshkashemi speaker. In order to communicate with each other the inhabitants resort to speaking Tajiki Persian. The extent of the Pamir dialects has shrunk during the ages, and been replaced by Tajiki Persian. One extinct dialect is Sarqolami (or Saraqolami), which used to be a Pamir dialect spoken in the Badakhshan region of Afghanistan. The study of the above dialects began in the 1870's by European linguists, and has continued into the 20th century.

Below is a sample of the Rushani dialect:

Translation:
"At that time I was seven years old. One day the children and I are sitting by the roadside and conversing".

Yaqnabi
Yaqnabi (or Yaqnobi) dialect belongs to the inhabitants of the Yaqnab River Valley, and several villages situated in the Varzab River Valley north of Dushanbe, Tajikestan. There are only a few thousand people left who speak this language. All are bilingual in Tajiki Persian as well. Yaqnabi is divided into two groups:

- Western (prevalent in the villages of Marqtumayn, Nomitkan, etc.)
- Eastern (spoken in the villages of Dibalyand, Piskon, Pitip, etc.)

The main differences between these two groups can be summarized as follows. The consonant "t" and the digraph "ay" in the western dialect change to "s" and "e" in the eastern dialect, respectively. For example, the western mēt (day) becomes the eastern mēs (as in the Sogdian mēè) and the western wayš (plant) becomes the eastern weš (as in the Sogdian wēš).

Yaqnabi is the sole remaining new Iranian dialect descended from Sogdian. This dialect has also attracted linguistic studies since the 1870's.

Below is a sample of Yaqnabi:

Translation:
"The day began. The King had tea and bread in the morning and said: "saddle the horses!" So they saddle the horses."