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Deep in the Heart of Elsewhere
The Differences
between Pakistani and Indian Punjabi Language
by Nabeel
Sharoon |
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Punjabi
is an Indo-Aryan language that is spoken by more than 100 million
people worldwide. It is the language of the Punjab region, which is
situated in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent and divided
into two parts by the border between Pakistan and India. Both Pakistani
Punjabi and Indian Punjabi are dialects of the Punjabi language, with
some significant differences between them.
One of the most notable differences between Pakistani Punjabi and
Indian Punjabi is the script they use. In Pakistan, Punjabi is written
in the Shahmukhi script, which is derived from the Persian script.
In contrast, in India, Punjabi is written in the Gurmukhi script,
which is derived from the Devanagari script. While both scripts have
similar alphabets, they differ in some of their letters.
Another difference between the two dialects is the vocabulary they
use. Pakistani Punjabi has borrowed many words from Arabic, Persian,
and Urdu, which are reflected in its vocabulary. On the other hand,
Indian Punjabi has borrowed many words from Hindi and Sanskrit. For
example, the word for "thank you" in Pakistani Punjabi is "shukriya,"
while in Indian Punjabi, it is "dhanvaad."
Another difference is their phonology. Pakistani Punjabi has a more
complex system of tones than Indian Punjabi, which makes it sound
more musical. Moreover, the sound of the letter "r" is much more prominent
in Pakistani Punjabi than in Indian Punjabi. In terms of grammar,
both dialects share many features, such as gender, number, and case
agreement. However, there are some differences in the way they conjugate
verbs and form adjectives. For example, the present tense of the verb
"to be" in Pakistani Punjabi is "haan," while in Indian Punjabi, it
is "hunda."
Lastly, the most significant difference between Pakistani Punjabi
and Indian Punjabi is the cultural context in which they are used.
Pakistani Punjabi is the mother tongue of most of the people in Punjab,
Pakistan, but it is also spoken by people in other regions of Pakistan
and among Pakistani diaspora. However, Indian Punjabi is spoken by
people living in the Indian state of Punjab and in the neighboring
Indian states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. Moreover, Punjabi
culture in Pakistan is influenced by Sufi mysticism, which makes it
more spiritual and devotional, while in India, Punjabi culture is
more influenced by Hinduism and Sikhism, which makes it more ritualistic
and martial.
In conclusion, while Pakistani Punjabi and Indian Punjabi are both
dialects of the Punjabi language, they differ significantly in terms
of their script, vocabulary, phonology, grammar, and cultural context.
However, the two dialects are mutually intelligible, and their speakers
can communicate with each other without much difficulty. |
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