Image default
Education

FLI organizes orthography workshop for Yidgha language in Chitral

yidgha

ISLAMABAD: The Forum for Language Initiatives (FLI) organised a five day orthography workshop for the Yidgha language community in Chitral.

Twelve participants, both male and female, who comprised teachers, local researchers, language activists, and writers from the language community attended the workshop, which aimed at training them in how to document their mother tongue, Yidgha.

Yidgha is spoken in Lotkuh, a valley lying some 46 km west of Chitral town, and is one of the 23 languages of Pakistan that UNESCO has declared as ‘on the verge of extinction’ for being just oral languages and undocumented.

The workshop was part of a project FLI has initiated to document four endangered languages in Chitral and Swat so as to preserve them from elimination with financial assistance from USAID’s Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Program (SGAFP-USAID).

 The workshop was focused on discovering the unique sounds in Yidgha and developing a writing system for this language that is losing ground even in its home region. The workshop will be followed by additional activities including the publishing of a book of folktales in Yidgha.

 This allows the Yidgha language researchers to be provided with further trainings under the project, as well as furthering the impact of documentation efforts.  Naseem Haider and Farid Ahmed Raza facilitated the workshop.

Though Yidgha was previously just a verbal dialect, this workshop has provided an opportunity to document the sounds of the language in written form. Participants have now received the training necessary to take their keen interest in preserving and promoting their mother tongue and channel it into tangible activities, including being able to finally write in their mother tongue.

Hopefully, there will soon be stories, poems, and anecdotes also published in the Yidgha language. The combination of these community members’ commitment and their newfound training may be a huge factor in saving the Yidgha language from fading into history.

Dear TNT Reader,

At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.

Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.

But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.

Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.

Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription

Visa Card MasterCard American Express Card

We want to hear your Travel Stories.

Do you have a memorable, unbelievable, or favorite travel experience? Share your story with us.