Native to Afghanistan Native speakers 39,000 (1994–2011) | Region Nuristan, Kunar | |
Language family Indo-European
Indo-Iranian
Nuristani
Kamkata-vari Dialects Kata-vari
Kamviri
Mumviri ISO 639-3 Either:
bsh – Kati
xvi – Kamviri | ||
Kamkata-vari, the largest Nuristani language, contains the main dialects Kata-vari, Kamviri and Mumviri. Kata-vari and Kamviri are sometimes erroneously reckoned as two separate languages, but according to linguist Richard Strand they form one language.
The Kamkata-vari language is spoken by the Kata, Kom, Mumo, Ksto and some smaller Black-Robed tribes in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are dialectal differences of the Kamkata-vari speakers of Pakistan. Most used alternative names are Kati or Bashgali.
Kamkata-vari is spoken by 40,000-60,000 Kata, Kom, and other minor tribal peoples.
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 Katavari 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 sometimes erroneously defined as separate languages.