Balti language

Not to be confused with Baltic languages.

Balti (بلتی) is a language spoken in Baltistan, in the Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan and neighbouring parts of the disputed territory of Indian-administered Kashmir. Before 1948 Baltistan was part of Ladakh province. The language is a sub-dialect of Ladakhi and an archaic dialect of the Tibetan language, but many of the consonants that are silent in most modern Tibetan dialects are pronounced in Balti.

Balti
بلتی
Native to	Pakistan, India
Region	Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltistan,Kargil, India, Bhutan and small pockets in Karachi, Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Lahore
Native speakers	337,000  (date missing)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Bodic Bodish Tibetan Western Balti
Language codes
ISO 639-2	sit
ISO 639-3	bft

Balti

All people of different races, living in Baltistan are called Balti. Greeks used the word Byaltae instead of Bal-ti, which in Tibetan means water gorge. The historian Ptolemy who was also a general in the army of Alexander the Great had named the region (Byaltae) in his book. Baltistan is the Persian translation of Baltiyul, “The Homeland of Balti”. The people belonging to Balti nationality are settled on both banks of the river Indus from Kargil (in the east) to Haramosh (in the west) and from Karakoram range (in the north) to Deosai plains (in the south). In this nationality the majority comes from Tibetan origin. However people migrated to this area in different periods of ancient times, on account of different reasons and after merging in the prevailing Tibetan society, gave birth to a new civilisation. All these multi-racial groups speak Balti language, which is a branch of the ancient Tibetan language. However, in some rural areas, the Sheen people still speak Shina language.

The Balti are a very forbearing, cheerful,brave and hospitable people. But during the Rmakpon reign (from 12th century to 1840 A.D.) they invaded Ladakh and Tibet many times.

There are several Balti communities in Pakistan's urban areas farther south, that is in Lahore, Islamabad, in Karachi and other places.But they are living as non Pakistani in Pakistan because Gilgit Baltistan is considered as disputed region.

Evolution

The Balti language has kept many honorific words like all the Tibetan dialects and many other languages. Below are a few examples:

Ordinary Balti	Honorific	Ladakhi	Meaning
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Ata	Baba	Aba	Father
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Ano/Amo	Zizi	Ama	Mother
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Kaka	Kacho	Acho	Brother (elder)
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Bustring	Zung	Nama	Wife
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Momo	Jangmocho	Ajang	Maternal uncle
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Nene	Nenecho	Ane	Aunt
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Bu	Bucho	Tugu	Son
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Fru	Nono		Boy
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Apo	Apocho	Meme	Grandfather
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Api	Apicho	Abi	Grandmother
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Ashe	Ashcho	Singmo	Sister (elder)
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Zo	bjes	Zo	Eat
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Thung	bjes	Thung	Drink
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Ong	Shokhs	Yong	Come
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Zer	Kasal-byung	Zer	Speak/Say
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Ngid tong	gZim tong	Ngid tong	Sleep (go to)
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Lagpa	Phyaq-laq/g	Lagpa	Hand/Arm
<span title=" transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Khyang	Yang/Yari-phyaqpo	Khyorang	You
Kanma	gzok-po		Leg

Balti Language Media

• Rizwan, a speaker of Balti

References

• Everson, Michael. ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 N2985: Proposal to add four Tibetan characters for Balti to the BMP of the UCS. 2005-09-05
• Hussainabadi, Mohamad Yusuf. Balti Zaban. 1990.
• Read, A.F.C. Balti grammar.London:The Royal Asiatic society, 1934.

Other websites

• Unicode
• Koshur: The Balti Language
• Tibetan script makes a comeback in Pakistan Archived 2007-08-18 at the Wayback Machine
• Proposal to add four Tibetan characters for Balti to the BMP of the UCS
• Tibetan Extensions 2 : Balti Archived 2010-10-17 at the Wayback Machine
• Pakistan's Northern Areas dilemma
• Northern Areas Development Gateway Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Pakistan's Northern Areas Archived 2004-01-07 at the Wayback Machine