Bartang

Bartang is a Pamiri language spoken in the Bartang Valley of Tajikistan, within the Pamir Mountains. It belongs to the Pamir subgroup of the Southeastern Iranian languages, a branch of the Indo-Iranian language family. The language is closely related to other Pamiri languages, such as Rushani, Shughni, and Oroshori.

Bartang is primarily an oral language, with no standardized written form. While attempts have been made to document the language using various alphabets, including Cyrillic and Latin, these are not widely used by native speakers.

The number of Bartang speakers is estimated to be around 5,000-6,000. Like many minority languages, Bartang faces challenges from dominant languages like Tajik and Russian, particularly in education and official contexts. This poses a threat to its long-term survival.

Linguistic research on Bartang is ongoing, with studies focusing on its phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon. These studies contribute to a better understanding of the language's structure and its relationship to other Iranian languages. Documentation efforts also aim to preserve Bartang's unique cultural heritage. The language's vocabulary and grammar reflect the traditions and environment of the Bartang Valley.