Makrani (Balochi:مکرانی), also referred to as Southern Balochi (زرباری بلۏچی, romanized: Zerbári Balòči), is a variety of the Balochi language spoken in the historical region of Makran (مکران) within Balochistan.

Background

In general, after numerous studies, the Balochi language has three main dialects. The main dialect split is between Western, Southern, and Eastern Balochi.

Makrani is the main branch of Southern Balochi.

Subdialects

Southern Balochi subdialects include Lashari, Sarbazi, Kechi, Karachi and Coastal dialect. They are spoken in the Makran region, which is why all these dialects are generally called Makrani.

Kechi, is the main subdialect spoken in Kech, including Turbat.

Lashari, is the main subdialect centered on the village of Lashar.

The "Coastal Dialects",, including Qasr-e Qand, Nik Shahr, Rask, Bandar Abbas, Karachi, Chahbahar, Gwadar, and Pasni.

Phonology

Vowels

Southern Balochi vowels
long vowelsâ:, ā, ē, ī, ō, ū
Short vowelâ, a, e, i, o, u
Compound vowel[ie], [ue]
Southern Balochi vowel system
FrontCentralBack
Highīū
Mide,ēo,ō
Lowɑō
Vowel systems in Southern Balochi dialects
ScholarsVowel systemsDialect
Farrell (1990)ī, i, ē, a, ā, ō, u, ū, ā͂, ē͂, ī͂, ō͂, ū͂Karachi
Yousefian (2008)i, e, ē, a, â, o, ō, uLashari

It is similar to that of Koroshi dialect spoken in Iran. Nasalization, which is common in Southern Balochi dialects, is phonetically less salient in Koroshi.

Consonants

The consonants /b/ ، /d/ ، /ḍ/ ، /g/ ، /p/ ، /t/ ، /ṭ/ ، /k/ ، /P/ /h/ ،/tʰ/ ،/ṭʰ/ ، /k/ /h/ ،/s/ ،/z/ ،/ʃ/ ،/ȝ/ ،/h/ ،/ʤ/ ، ʧ ،/ʧʰ/ ،/m/ ،/n/ ،/ŋ/ ،/r/ ،/ṛ/ ،/l/ ،/w/ ،/j/ are articulated as alveolar in Southern Balochi.

Nasalization is phonemic in Eastern Balochi and that caused by the effect of the Indo-Aryan languages, similar to Soleimani dialect that has borrowed a few sounds from them.

Consonants in Southern Balochi dialects
LabialDental/ AlveolarRetroflexPalatalVelarGlottal
Plosive/ Affricatevoicelessptt̥čk
voicedbdd̥J̌ɡ
Fricativevoiceless(ƒ)sŠ(x)h
voicedβzž(ǧ)
Nasalmn
Tapsrr̥
Glideswy

The consonants /f x ġ/ in the Rakhshani dialect often remain, but in Makrani they become /g/, /k/ or /h/, and /p/, respectively. In addition, /f/ occurs in a few words in Southern Balochi. /x/ (voiceless velar fricative) in some loanwords in Southern Balochi corresponding to /ʁ/ (voiced uvular fricative) in Western Balochi.

Syllables

Makrani dialect, the presence of minimal pairs such as [iehd] - [iḳd] or [suek] - [suk] easily shows that each compound vowel can be placed as a single, independent phoneme in the center of a syllable and create new word with semantic distinction.

Southern dialects as in Lashari Balochi the place of stress depends on the weight of the syllable.

Grammar

Makrani dialect uses both head-marking and dependent-marking structures. In this dialect, the verb group can take four types of complements: the noun group, the adjective group, the prepositional group, and the complement clause. The Balochi Makrani dialect uses the adverb of quantity and the prepositional group as descriptors of the core adjective in the adjectival group. The prepositional group is described by adverbs.

These adverbs come before the core preposition. Southern Balochi has genitive singular -ē and the object is marked with: ānā (rā), -ânā, or -ānrā.

Pronouns

PronounsRakhshani (Western)Makrani (Southern)
1st personمنمن
2nd personتوتو
3rd personآ‌/آئیآ/آیی
1st person (plural)ئما‌/هٔمامِشما‌/ما
2nd person (plural)شماشما
3rd person (plural)آوانآیاں

Example sentences

EnglishSouthern Balochi
Goodbyeخدا حافظ
What is this?ایں چی اِنت؟
Where is Ali?علی کجا اِنت؟
This horse is whiteایں اسپ اسپیت ئے
Who called me?کہ منا توار کوتا؟
I am tiredمن ژند اں
I have two small brothers and sistersمنا دو کسانیں برات ءُ گوار هست

Makrani v. Karachi

EnglishMakraniKarachi
I am Mahnaz.من مَهناز اںمن مَهناز اں
Where are they going?آ کجا روگ اِنت؟آ کجا روگا اِنت؟
What are you doing?تو چی کنگ ئے؟تو چی کنگا ئے؟
Friend, tell me what is happening?سنگت، منا بہ گوش چی بیگ اِنت؟یار، منا بہ گوش چی بوئگا اِنت؟

See also

External links