Urdu
A language of Pakistan
| Population | 10,700,000 in Pakistan (1993). Population total all countries: 60,586,800. |
| Region | Widespread. Also in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Botswana, Canada, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, India, Malawi, Mauritius, Nepal, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia. |
| Language map | Southern Pakistan |
| Alternate names | Bihari |
| Dialects | Intelligible with Hindi, but formal vocabulary is borrowed from Arabic and Persian. Dakhini dialect of Urdu [urd] in India has fewer Persian and Arabic loans than Urdu [urd]. Rekhta is a form of Urdu used in poetry. |
| Classification | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Western Hindi, Hindustani |
| Language use | Official language. Including L2 speakers: 104,000,000 (1999 WA). Used as L2 by most other Pakistanis. |
| Language development | Fully developed. Bible: 1843–1998. |
| Writing system | Arabic script, Nastaliq style. |
| Comments | Muslim. |
Also spoken in:
Bangladesh
| Language name | Bihari |
| Population | 250,000 in Bangladesh (2003 SIL). |
| Region | Mainly refugee camps in 13 districts. |
| Language maps | Bangladesh Bangladesh |
| Alternate names | Urdu |
| Language use | Home, village, religion, market. Value and want to maintain their language. Most also use some Bengali [ben], some know English or Arabic. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L1: Below 50%, probably 25%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%. Many more literate in Bengali than Urdu. |
India
| Language name | Urdu |
| Population | 48,100,000 in India (1997). |
| Region | Jammu, Kashmir and by Muslims in many parts of India; Dakhini around Hyderabad and in Maharashtra. |
| Alternate names | Islami, Undri, Urudu |
| Dialects | Dakhini (Dakani, Dakkhini, Deccan, Desia, Mirgan), Pinjari, Rekhta (Rekhti). |
| Language use | State language of Jammu, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh. |
| Language development | Taught in primary schools. |
| Comments | State language of Jammu, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh. Muslim. |
Mauritius
| Language name | Urdu |
| Population | 64,000 in Mauritius (Johnstone 1993). |
| Language use | Government, politics. |
| Comments | Muslim. |
South Africa
| Language name | Urdu |
| Population | 12,000 in South Africa (2006). 170,000 South Asian Muslims in South Africa (1987). |
| Region | Natal coast and urban areas around Durban; Transvaal surrounding Johannesburg, and scattered smaller towns. |
| Language use | Most also use English. |
| Comments | Merchants; traders; industrial, professional (medicine, computers), clerical workers; craftsmen. Muslim. |
Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:
Academic Publications
Anonymous. 2007. Kalam Kohistan ki rawaeti tarikh - hissa awal: kalam khas.
BACKSTROM, Peter C.; RADLOFF, Carla F., authors. 1992. Languages of northern areas.
BARNWELL, Katharine, author; BAKHSH, Peir, translator. 1999. Tarjuma kitaab-e-muqaddas.
DECKER, Kendall D., author. 1992. Languages of Chitral.
DECKER, Sandra J.; HALLBERG, Daniel G.; RENSCH, Calvin R., authors. 1992. Languages of Kohistan.
HALLBERG, Calinda E.; O'LEARY, Clare F.; RENSCH, Calvin R., authors. 1992. Hindko and Gujari.
RADLOFF, Carla F., author. 1991. Sentence repetition testing for studies of community bilingualism.
Vernacular Publications
Saraiki-Urdu-Angrezi bol chal = Conversational Saraiki, Urdu, English. 2005.
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