Balti language

Balti (སྦལ་ཏི་སྐད།) or Bhotia is Tibetic language spoken in the Baltistan region of Gilgit Baltistan northeastern Pakistan and a few neighboring villages of the disputed territory of Indian-administered Kashmir.[3] The language is an archaic dialect of the Tibetan language, but many of the consonants of Classical Tibetan that are silent in most modern Tibetan dialects are pronounced in Balti.[4]

Not to be confused with Baltic languages.
Balti
Balti Bhotia
སྦལ་ཏི་སྐད།
Native toPakistan, India
RegionBaltistan and small pockets in Ladakh, Karachi, Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Lahore
EthnicityBaltipa
Native speakers
c.484,000 in Pakistan (2018)[1][2]
Sino-Tibetan
Tibetan script, Nastaliq script
Language codes
ISO 639-2sit
ISO 639-3bft
ELPBalti

History & People

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 the native term Baltiyul meaning “The Homeland of Balti”. The people belonging to Balti nationality are settled on both banks of the river Indus from Turtuk (in the east) to Haramosh (in the west) and from Karakoram range (in the north) to Deosai plains (in the south). Majority of Balti language speakers are of Tibetan origin. However people from Indus Plains (Monpa's) and Central Asia (Horpa's) migrated to this area in different periods of ancient times, on account of different reasons and after merging in the prevailing Tibetan society, they also speak the Balti language, which is a branch of the ancient Tibetan language.[5] Small pockets of Brokskat, Purgi, Changthang and Ladakhi also exist in Baltistan.

The Balti people are a very forbearing, cheerful,brave and hospitable people. They ruled the area of Ladakh and Western Tibet under the Makpon reign (from 12th century to 1840 A.D.).

There are several Balti communities in Pakistan's urban areas farther south, that is in Lahore, Islamabad, in Karachi and other places.

Evolution

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

Ordinary BaltiHonorificLadakhiMeaning
AtaBabaAbaFather
Ano/AmoZiziAmaMother
KakaKachoAchoBrother (elder)
BustringZungNamaWife
MomoJangmochoAjangMaternal uncle
NeneNenechoAneAunt
BuBuchoTuguSon
FruNonoBoy
ApoApochoMemeGrandfather
ApiApichoAbiGrandmother
AsheAshchoSingmoSister (elder)
ZobjesZoEat
ThungbjesThungDrink
OngShokhsYongCome
ZerKasal-byungZerSpeak/Say
Ngid tonggZim tongNgid tongSleep (go to)
LagpaPhyaq-laq/gLagpaHand/Arm
KhyangYang/Yari-phyaqpoKhyorangYou
Kanmagzok-poLeg

References
  1. e24
  2. "Preservation of the original Balti language". The Nation. 2023-11-24.
  3. PeopleGroups.org. "PeopleGroups.org - Baltistani Bhotia of Pakistan". peoplegroups.org. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  4. Sprigg, R. K. (2013-07-04). Balti-English / English-Balti Dictionary. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-84517-8.
  5. Beyer, Stephan V. (1992-01-01). The Classical Tibetan Language. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-1099-8.

Other websites


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