Experts list Brahui as one of most ancient languages

[Kabira]

Leading international and national linguists, and experts, have declared Brahui to be one of the most ancient languages of the world.

Experts believe that it is the mother language of the 7000-year-old Dravidian languages from the Indus civilization. Researchers emphasized that further research on the origin of the language could help resolve many questions relating to languages of Mohen Jo Daro, Harapa and Mehrgarah.

This was declared in the two-day “International Conference on Brahui Language and Culture” held at Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, on Sunday.

The conference was organized by Brahui Academy Pakistan with the support of the Allama Iqbal Open University, Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI), and Sughar Empowerment Society (SES).

A number of research scholars from USA, Spain, Germany, Iraq, Mexico and other countries of the world along with renowned research scholars and linguists from Pakistan, presented their papers in the conference.

While speaking in the inaugural session of the conference, Chief Guest Nawabzada Haji Lashkari Khan Raisani said that the United Nations, especially UNESCO, should take steps to uplift neglected indigenous languages from Pakistan, including Brahui.

Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University Dr Prof. Shahid Siddiqui said that all the languages and cultures of Pakistan are part and parcel of the Pakistani culture and they should be promoted to further strengthen unity and peace in the country.

Experts list Brahui as one of most ancient languages | Pakistan Today

 

[Kabira]

Brahui, a Dravidian language spoken in parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been listed as one of the ancient languages of the world.

Leading linguists from all over the world declared Brahui an ancient language during a seminar called International Conference on Brahui Language and Culture, held at Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad. The language is now considered the parent language of 7,000 Dravidian languages spoken in the Deccan in India. Brahui is spoken in a small isolated pocket deep in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Brahui is a language isolate. This means that it is isolated from other languages of its family, i.e. Dravidian. Brahui is located at least 1,500 kilometres from its closest Dravidian cousin. So far, there has been no consensus on whether Brahui is a relatively recent language introduced into Balochistan or the remnant of an ancient language that was at some point widespread in the region but subsequently died down in surrounding areas. Some scholars believe it to be an ancient language that migrated from its place of origin to where it is now found. The seminar concluded that Brahui is an ancient language but did not say anything decisive about its migratory status.

Research scholars from the United States, Spain, Germany, Iraq, Mexico, Canada, the Czech Republic, Pakistan and other countries presented papers at the conference. It was noted that the indigenous languages of Pakistan were suffering due to the government's policy of promoting education only in Urdu and English.

According to the researchers, further study into the origins of Brahui could help to solve the problems associated with the Harappan, Mohenjo Daro and Mehrgarh languages.

The 2013 edition of Ethnologue reports that there are about 4.2 million speakers of Brahui with 4 million living in Pakistan, mainly in the province of Balochistan.

Fossil Language Brahui Gets Recognition

 

[metronome]

interesting, I'd like to hear what it sounds like, is there a video of people speaking it ?

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

More established theory says the Brahui tribes migrated to Balochistan from central India after 1000 CE. The Muslim conquest of central India resulted in Brahui speaking tribes migrating to Balochistan while the Romani (Gypsies) migrated to Europe. The absence of any older Iranian (Avestan) influence in Brahui language supports this hypothesis. Since Iranian dynasties have ruled Balochistan for centuries and Brahui does not have any Persian influence. While the Baloch tribes migrated from western Iran and settled in Balochistan. The main Iranian contributor to Balochi vocabulary is a western Iranian language like Kurdish.

 

[Kabira]

interesting, I'd like to hear what it sounds like, is there a video of people speaking it ?

PTV drama in Brahui

More established theory says the Brahui tribes migrated to Balochistan from central India after 1000 CE. The Muslim conquest of central India resulted in Brahui speaking tribes migrating to Balochistan while the Romani (Gypsies) migrated to Europe. The absence of any older Iranian (Avestan) influence in Brahui language supports this hypothesis. Since Iranian dynasties have ruled Balochistan for centuries and Brahui does not have any Persian influence. While the Baloch tribes migrated from western Iran and settled in Balochistan. The main Iranian contributor to Balochi vocabulary is a western Iranian language like Kurdish.

This theory does not hold any water after genetic tests done on Brahui people.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

This theory does not hold any water after genetic tests done on Brahui people.

The Brahui tribes have been in Balochistan for nearly 1000 years and they have intermarried with the Baloch, Sindhis and others. My post is about the Brahui language not the genetics of Brahui people.

 

[Kabira]

The Brahui tribes have been in Balochistan for nearly 1000 years and they have intermarried with the Baloch, Sindhis and others. My post is about the Brahui language not the genetics of Brahui people.

600-1000 years ago is not that long ago actually.

"So far, there has been no consensus on whether Brahui is a relatively recent language introduced into Balochistan or the remnant of an ancient language that was at some point widespread in the region but subsequently died down in surrounding areas."

Genetics
Brahuis display a variety of Y-DNA haplogroups, the two most important of which being haplogroup R1a - with its mass diffusion among populations of Central/South Asia and associated with the early eastern migrations of Indo-Iranian nomads - and haplogroup J, which, though found among other subcontinental peoples, is nevertheless more typical of Near-Eastern populations.[11][12] Other, relatively minor, low-frequency haplogroups among the Brahui are those of L, E1b1a, G, and N.

Not only Y-dna haplogroups but also automosal results show they didn't migrate from South India. I think they have been in Balochistan for thousands of years.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

"So far, there has been no consensus on whether Brahui is a relatively recent language introduced into Balochistan or the remnant of an ancient language that was at some point widespread in the region but subsequently died down in surrounding areas."

The Brahui language has no Persian influence so most likely Brahui tribes migrated to the region in last 1000 years.

The Haplogroup L is most common group and it is geographically concentrated along the Indus valley, modern Pakistan.

 

[Menace2Society]

IVC influenced central India and not the other way round. It had a distinct culture and more advanced than anything else in the sub continent at the time.

Do you honestly think a man living under shelter would take advice from a man living in the jungle on a tree?

 

[farhan_9909]

We have a bruhui member in this forum

 

[Kabira]

The Brahui language has no Persian influence so most likely Brahui tribes migrated to the region in last 1000 years.

The Haplogroup L is most common group and it is geographically concentrated along the Indus valley, modern Pakistan.

What are you trying to prove with L haplogruop map?

 

[Jaanbaz]

interesting, I'd like to hear what it sounds like, is there a video of people speaking it ?

Here.

 

[ArsalanKhan21]

IVC influenced central India and not the other way round.

The culture flows in both directions. It may flow more in one direction but its always bidirectional.

What are you trying to prove with L haplogruop map?

Nearly all Hungarian have same genes as their German and Slavic neighbors but Hungarian language is Uralic language. I am just emphasizing that Brahui language is recent migrant to Balochistan.

 

[metronome]

Here.

ha, it does sound in bits like some south Indian languages do, but the singing style overall is a bit like what you'd hear in Rajasthan

 

[Jaanbaz]

ha, it does sound in bits like some south Indian languages do, but the singing style overall is a bit like what you'd hear in Rajasthan

His clothes style is definitely Baluch. Brahiu migrated towards Baluchistan, Still don't know for what reason though.