Are the majority of upper class KP Pashtuns compromising their culture and language?

[Da_Kunar_Ghro]

While the majority of Pashtuns from Quetta and Zhob refer to themselves as Afghans, KP Pashtuns (Swat, Peshawar) are more likely to call themselves "Pathan".

Quetta Pashtuns always teach their children how to read and write in Pashto and I have even met non-Pashtuns (such as Panjabis) who have lived in Quetta and speak Pashto.

KP Pashtuns who live in cities of Pakistan like Islamabad or Karachi often don't teach their children to read and write in Pashto.

KP young women are often too shy to speak in Pashto and have lost their original Pashtun dress (Kali) for the Pakistani Shalwar Kameez.

Upper class KP Pashtuns love to mix Urdu and English words into their speech.

The various dialects of Pashto spoken in KP, such as Waziri, Marwat and Afridi are discouraged and the "standard" Yusafzai dialect of Swat and Peshawar is instead used, while in Afghanistan, there is no standard Pashto dialect and all types of Pashto are used.

The Yusafzai dialect has no more sounds than Urdu, and Pashtu sounds such as ts and zh have merged with s and j.

What do you think?

[faizkhan]

mashallah you have a deep studies of these people. kana da?

[Amir al Ghaznavi]

its the same thing with Kabulian.

the Elite Pakhtana are not the Elite of Pakhtun Nation but rather an integrated elite of artificial states that dont revolve around Pakhtuniyat, if you will

only the grassroots level Pakhtana can rectify this issue

[Michin Khel]

I agree with your points. The elite class of pashtuns is not interested in pashtuniyat and are severly pakistanized especially the families in karachi, lahore ,pindi, islamabad.

[Amir al Ghaznavi]

I agree with your points. The elite class of pashtuns is not interested in pashtuniyat and are severly pakistanized especially the families in karachi, lahore ,pindi, islamabad.

definitely Luffy Khan, even in Afghanistan, in Kabul, Mazar etc, its the same thing

fact is, its alot harder to create your own elite, then it is to join an existing elite

[Manzareh]

Correct me if I'm wrong but arnt all the elite Pashtuns in Afghanistan proud of their Dari language?? I believe it's the same on both sides with different influences one with Urdu and the other with Persian.

What you have to understand is the reason why the Pashtuns in KP all learn Urdu is because it's a national language of Pakistan. Which is the reason why punjabis (That are most of Pakistan) also learn Urdu. Wer as in Afghanistan most ov the Pashtuns brag about how Afghanistan is a Pashtun country but then at the same time see it as a status symbol if they affiliate themselves with Persian language and culture.

[Amir al Ghaznavi]

Correct me if I'm wrong but arnt all the elite Pashtuns in Afghanistan proud of their Dari language?? I believe it's the same on both sides with different influences one with Urdu and the other with Persian.

What you have to understand is the reason why the Pashtuns in KP all learn Urdu is because it's a national language of Pakistan. Which is the reason why punjabis (That are most of Pakistan) also learn Urdu. Wer as in Afghanistan most ov the Pashtuns brag about how Afghanistan is a Pashtun country but then at the same time see it as a status symbol if they affiliate themselves with Persian language and culture.

Because Pakhto is associated with tribal village life. it is not considered an academic language with a rich history and literature

now we have 2 options. we can work to develop our language so it is rich. or we can say fukk it, and embrace the existing system

our Bar Pakhtana have chosen the easier option for the last 200 yrs and see where it has gotten us.

Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work

[BLS_1919v2.0]

Kunar ghro Yousafzai dialect has been in place before there was Pakistan or urdu..so that is a very weak point. Swat people refer to themselves as Pashtuns, not "pathans". Like Amir said, the elite of Pashtuns in general prefer dari, urdu and/or english...pashto was never really that big of a concern to them. It is unfair then to tag it on the "elite" of Khyber Pashtunkhwa. They are no better no worse than the other elite pashtuns. Majority of Pashtuns in Khyber-Pashtunkhwa speak pashto, so I don't know where you got that from...even in peshawar hindkai speak pashto, in swat hindus and sikh speak pashto. You should go see the sikhs who live in Pashtunkhwa (and Afghanistan) they speak better pashto than many Pashtuns I have seen.

Yousafzai dialect is spoken by default because it is the easiest dialect to understand. Pashtuns in general can pick it up and understand it better....it is also quite close to the ningrahar/kunarr pashto. Also the Yousafzais are a huge population so it makes sense.

[KhyberKhan]

Agree with some points but i dont think any pasthun calls himself a pathan - that was pretty outlandish observation on your behalf.

Being from KP myself i cannot write pashto although i can read and speak it.

I think this phenomenom is more of a class issue and does not perforates through all gradients of pashtun society and is especially absent in those who live beyond the suburbs and in the rural villages. But it's expected, just as I would expect a Pashtun/a living amongst Japaneese in Tokyo to begin to encompass words that are alien to Pashto into his/her vocabulary.

Environment has a lot to play in this, that's why one should always make a point to speak pashto in their household and to those blessed with children living abroad they should put an emphasis on ensuring they communicate in pashto as well as their host country's language. Regularly visiting their ancestral land on a regular basis will also strengthen their language skills.

[Michin Khel]

^khyber khan i think u live in abroad thats why u r unable to write in pashto, or if live in peshawer then most probably u have studied in private school.

[Master Khan]

I got a cousin who are upper class people and I told him "do you know pashtun history" and he knew everything, He told me that he studied pashto history and langauge..I think every pashtun should study their history, langauge and culture...its really important.

[KhyberKhan]

^khyber khan i think u live in abroad thats why u r unable to write in pashto, or if live in peshawer then most probably u have studied in private school.

you're probably right.

[Da_Kunar_Ghro]

Correct me if I'm wrong but arnt all the elite Pashtuns in Afghanistan proud of their Dari language?? I believe it's the same on both sides with different influences one with Urdu and the other with Persian.

What you have to understand is the reason why the Pashtuns in KP all learn Urdu is because it's a national language of Pakistan. Which is the reason why punjabis (That are most of Pakistan) also learn Urdu. Wer as in Afghanistan most ov the Pashtuns brag about how Afghanistan is a Pashtun country but then at the same time see it as a status symbol if they affiliate themselves with Persian language and culture.

1. Tajiks who speak Dari NOT PERSIAN OR FARSI were historically more educated than Pashtuns and served the often uneducated ruling class as administrators or advisors.

2. Panjabi isnt very different from Urdu and is hardly ever written.

3. The "Persian culture" ends in Iran. Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara women and men all wear the Pashtun clothes that seem to have disappeared from KP.

4. Kandahari Pashto has many Dari words because Kandahar is next to Iran.

5. It is almost impossible to get a good job in Afghanistan without knowing Pashto and Pashto is taught in every university in Afghanistan and they are called pohantun, not "yooniwarsity".

[Da_Kunar_Ghro]

If you went to a pulic school in KP, you would have learned Pashto, but not in most private schools.

[Da_Kunar_Ghro]

Kunar ghro Yousafzai dialect has been in place before there was Pakistan or urdu..so that is a very weak point. Swat people refer to themselves as Pashtuns, not "pathans". Like Amir said, the elite of Pashtuns in general prefer dari, urdu and/or english...pashto was never really that big of a concern to them. It is unfair then to tag it on the "elite" of Khyber Pashtunkhwa. They are no better no worse than the other elite pashtuns. Majority of Pashtuns in Khyber-Pashtunkhwa speak pashto, so I don't know where you got that from...even in peshawar hindkai speak pashto, in swat hindus and sikh speak pashto. You should go see the sikhs who live in Pashtunkhwa (and Afghanistan) they speak better pashto than many Pashtuns I have seen.

Yousafzai dialect is spoken by default because it is the easiest dialect to understand. Pashtuns in general can pick it up and understand it better....it is also quite close to the ningrahar/kunarr pashto. Also the Yousafzais are a huge population so it makes sense.

1. By Yusafzai dialect, I mean the modern day "Pukhto" spoken in the areas in and around Peshawar, which is influenced by Urdu and English.

2. I do not mean all KP Pashtuns, but mainly the KP Pashtuns call themselves "Pathans" when speaking to non-Pashtuns because I know many Panjabis who have no clue what Pashtun/Pakhtun is.

3. I have been to Karkhanai and talked with Sikhs. It is a fact that they speak better Pashto than most of us.

4. Yusafzais are the largest tribe in KP.