The Diachronic Sociolinguistic Situation in Sindh (Before and after the emergence of Pakistan)

Abstract

Nel presente articolo l’autore presenta un’analisi diacronica della situazione sociolinguistica del Sindh, dalla prima civilizzazione Indu all’eta contemporanea. 1. The early period until the arrival of the Arabs in 712 A.D. From the present day Sindh can retrace its historical foot prints back to early Indus Civilization, during which time-span it has undergone a series of complex linguistic transitions, each of which was to leave its mark on the existing Sindhi language. Between 3500 and 1000 B.C. Sindh was inherited with Neolithic and Chalcolthic cultures. Tribes from these cultures spoke a type of 'Proto-IndoEuropean' language which mingled with the Dravidian languages of the native Sindhis. Interfusion of these languages produced a variety of linguistic groupings, amongst which ProtoSindhi finds its place. About 1000 B.C. Rig-Vedic Aryans settled in Sindh. Evidence suggests that their language was closely related to Proto-Indo-European languages and although this language was originally confined to a small area, it had important influences on the Indus Valley Civilization whose people had stopped using their script 650 years prior to Aryan settlement. A Hebrew based script, Brahmi, was developed by the Aryans, which resulted in a sizable Sanskritic influence on the Sindhi language. Brahminism, which came about as a result of syncretism of the Indus and Rig-Vedic religions, gave rise to the monopolization of literacy and the adoption of Sanskrit as the official language. The impact of Sanskrit continued until the Arabs came in 712 A.D. 2. The arrival of the Arabs (712) until 1843 The sociolinguistic situation in Sindh was dynamically altered with the Arab arrival. The Arabic language and Islamic culture which accompanied the Arabs were to make a permanent mark on the country. The influence of the Arabic language was quickly felt in official and religious circles and gradually Sindhi, already a firmly established language, took on a new form as many Arabic words and phrases were incorporated into it. As a result of this influence, the Arabic script was later adopted for the writing of Sindhi, with the addition of some dots for purposes of Sindhi pronunciation. In spite of this Islamic influence, there were those who retained affiliations with the older religions, which meant that the languages encoded in their prac* The Diachronic Sociolinguistic Situation in Sindh (Before and after the emergence of Pakistan)

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