Kamkata-viri language

Kamkata-viri, the largest Nuristani language, contains the main dialects Kata-vari, Kamviri and Mumviri. Kata-vari and Kamviri are often defined as two separate languages, but according to linguist Richard Strand they form one language.

The Kamkata-viri language is spoken by the Kata, Kom, Mumo, Ksto and some smaller former Black-Robed tribes in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are dialectal differences of the Kamkata-viri speakers of Pakistan. Most used alternative names are Bashgali or Kati, which derive from Khowar.

Kamkata-viri is spoken by 18,700 Kata people (15,000 in Afghanistan, just over 3,700 in Pakistan), and approximately 5,500 (or up to 10,000) Kom.

It belongs to the Indo-European language family, and is on the Nuristani group of the Indo-Iranian branch.

Literacy rates are low: below 1% for people who have it as a first language, and between 15% to 25% for people who have it as a second language. The Kativiri dialect can be heard on radio in Afghanistan.

There are four main dialects: Eastern Kata-vari, Western Kata-vari, Kamviri and Mumviri, the last two are often defined as separate languages.

References

• The Kamkata. Retrieved July 19, 2006, from Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush[1].
• The Kâta. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush [2].
• The Kom. Retrieved July 2, 2006, from Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush [3].
• The Mumo. Retrieved July 11, 2006, from Richard F. Strand: Nuristan, Hidden Land of the Hindu-Kush [4].
• Kati. Retrieved June 13, 2006, from Ethnologue: Languages of the World, fifteenth edition. SIL International. Online version.