A Grammar of Khowar

A pioneering linguistic study documenting Khowar's complex structure and historic oral tradition, shaped by centuries of cultural exchange in northern Pakistan. Grammar of Khowar is the first comprehensive English-language study of Khowar, a unique Indo-Aryan language spoken in northern Pakistan. Drawing on over thirty years of field research, Elena Bashir provides a detailed snapshot of the language at a critical moment in its evolution, as increasing cultural and economic pressures accelerate linguistic change.

The book presents Khowar's phonology, morphology, and syntax, alongside an in-depth analysis of how its grammatical structures shape the way speakers conceptualize the world. Rife with original example sentences--many sourced from oral texts recorded in multiple villages--this work preserves linguistic data that might otherwise be lost. A special appendix includes a thirty-page sample text in Khowar's Perso-Arabic script, followed by a romanized transcription and English translation, offering an invaluable resource for scholars.

A critical contribution to South Asian linguistics, this book underscores the urgency of studying and preserving endangered mountain languages before they fade from use.