Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which Iranian languages are spoken in the Pamirs?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Several Iranian languages and dialect groups are spoken in the Pamirs, a highland region in Central Asia. These include:

  • Shughnī group: This group includes several dialects, such as Sarīkolī (spoken in northwestern China), Oroshorī-Bartangī, Roshānī-Khufī, and Bajuvī-Shughnī.1
  • Yāzgulāmī: This language is closely related to the Shughnī group.1
  • Wakhī: Spoken by more than 50,000 people in the region of the upper Panj River, this language is noted for its distinctiveness and archaic features.1
  • Sanglechī-Ishkashmī group: Spoken around the bend of the Amu Darya and in the Vardūj River valley, this group is closely related to other languages of the Pamirs.1
  • Yidghā-Munjī group: While Monjān is located in a remote valley in northern Afghanistan, this group is also considered related to the languages of the Pamirs.1