Native to Afghanistan Native speakers 40,000 (2011) Glottolog ashk1246 | Region Nuristan Province ISO 639-3 ask | |
Language family Indo-European
Indo-Iranian
Nuristani
Askuňu | ||
Âṣkuňu is a language of Afghanistan spoken by the Ashkun people – also known as the Âṣku, Ashku, Askina, Saňu, Sainu, Yeshkun, Wamas, or Grâmsaňâ – from the region of the central Pech Valley around Wâmâ and in some eastern tributary valleys of the upper Alingar River in Afghanistan's Nuristan province. Other major places where the language of Ashkun is spoken are Nuristan Province, Pech Valley in Wama District, eastern side of the Lower Alingar Valley in Nurgaram and Duab districts, Malil wa Mushfa, Titin, Kolatan and Bajagal valleys.
Contents
It is classified as member of the Nuristani sub-family of the Indo-Iranian languages.
Dialects
Askun is spoken in several dialects in southwestern Nuristan. The main body of the Askunu tribe inhabits the Askugal (Kolata, Majegal) Valley, which drains southwestward into the Alingar River. These people speak a dialect which differs from that of their neighbors in the Titin Valley to the south (cf. Morgenstierne 1929). The inhabitants of the Bajaygol Valley further up the Alingar are reported to speak a third dialect. Across a mountain ridge to the east of the Askunu two tribal groups, each with its own dialect, center on the villages of (Wama) and Gramsaragram (Acanu) off the Pec River. Other dialects in which this language is spoken in are Ashuruveri, Gramsukraviri, Kolata, Suruviri, Titin Bajaygul, and Wamai.
Writing System
The Ashkun language is strictly passed on verbally and has no written resources that can be traced.
Vocabulary/Lexis
Due to the fact that this language has no written resources, the vocabulary is unknown. An audio file is provided in the examples section below.
Location Description
Official Status: There are currently about 40,000 ethnic people who speak this language. None of the mentioned people are monolinguals. Th illiteracy rate among this group of people is around 5%-15%.
Dialects/Varieties: Ashuruviri (Kolata, Titin Bajaygul), Gramsukraviri, Suruviri (Wamai). Not intelligible with the other Nuristani languages.
Location: Part of Nuristan and adjacent areas along the Kabul river and its tributaries in the mountain region that encompasses northeastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and northwestern India
Examples
http://globalrecordings.net/en/program/C16500 This link is an audio recording of short audio Bible stories, evangelistic messages and may include songs and music. They explain salvation and give basic Christian teaching in the Ashkun language.