Khetrani language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Native to Pakistan
Native speakers
unknown (undated figure of 4,000)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 xhe
Glottolog khet1238[2]

Khetrani, or Khetranki, is an Indic language spoken in north east Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh Provinces of Pakistan. It is traditionally considered a Lahnda language. However, it may be a remnant Dardic language.[3] It is Influenced by the Balochi, Saraiki language and Sindhi languages.

The Khetrans. It is certain that the whole of the triangular block of hill now occupied by the Marris was in the possession of Indian tribes before the Baloch invasion. They were gradually destroyed or absorbed by the Baloch from the south and the Afghans from the north and such names as Shahdedja among the Marris and Haripal among the Afghans to the north indicate that fragments of these tribes remain among the Baloch and the Afghans. The Khetrans however between the Afghan and the Baloch have preserved their identity and their peculiar Indian dialect (of the Sindhi type) to the present day.[4]


  1. ^ Khetrani reference at Ethnologue (15th ed., 2005)
  2. ^ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Khetrani". Glottolog 2.2. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. 
  3. ^ Masica (1991)
  4. ^ E.J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam 1913-1936 By M. Th. Houtsma, A. J. Wensinck page 631