Central Pashto (Pashto: منځنۍ پښتو, romanized: Manźanəi Pax̌to) is a standard variety of the Pashto language, spoken in parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are the middle dialects of Mangal, Zadran, Banuchi and Waziri.^[2][3] These dialects are affected by what Ibrahim Khan terms as "the Great Karlāṇ Vowel Shift".^[4]

Central Dialects - "موږ"

Waziri

/miʒ/

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Here is a comparison of Middle Dialects with South Eastern:

Northern

Zadrani

Daniel Septfonds provides the following example:^[7]

Vowel Shift

In Źadrāṇi, a vowel shift like Waziri has been noted:^[8]

Apridi

Afridi/Apridi is also categorised as a Northern Phonology.^[9]

Vowel Shift

There is presence of the additional vowels close-mid central rounded vowel /ɵ/ and open back rounded vowel /ɒː / in Apridi. The following vowel shift has been noted by Josef Elfenbein:^[10]

• The [a] in Pashto can become [ɑ] and also [e] in Apridi:

• The [ɑ] in Pashto can become [ɒː] in Apridi:

• The [o] in Pashto can becomes [ɵ] in Apridi:

• The [u] in Pashto can becomes [i] in Apridi:

Lexical Comparison

Naseem Khan Naseem provides the following list:^[11]

Sample Text

Sample Text Audio

Speaker: Sahil Apridi [poet]

[ˈpɵr.t̪a ʃo bjel ke.nɒs.ˈt̪o ]

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The following difference can be noticed in pronunciation:

Kurama

Kurama: Example

Speaker from Central Kurram Agency

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The following is an example from Central Kurram agency; where a change in /ɑ/ to /ɔ/ can be seen:

Southern

Waziri

Vowel Shift

Comparison of Vowels

North Waziristan: ɔ

N. Waziri [Zakar Khel]: ḍer ḍeṛ taklíp ğwɔṛí

Meaning: to you

Yusapzai Pashto: ډېر ډېر تکليف غواړي [ḍer ḍeṛ taklíp ğwāṛí]

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South Waziristan: ɒ

S. Waziri [Maseedwola]: byɒ če kíma du

Meaning: then that which they

Yusapzai Pasht: بيا چې کومه دوی [byā če kóma duy]

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In Waziri Pashto there is also a vowel shift

In Waziri dialect the [ɑ] in most other dialects of Pashto becomes [ɔː] in Northern Waziri and [ɒː] in Southern Waziri.^[14]

In Waziri dialect the stressed [o] in most other dialects of Pashto becomes [œː] and [ɛː]. The [o] in general Pashto may also become [jɛ] or [wɛː]. ^[14]

In Waziri dialect the stressed [u] in general Pashto becomes [iː]. ^[15]

When [u] in begins a word in general Pashto can become [wiː], [jiː] or [w[ɛ]]

Diphthongs in Waziri

A change is noticed:^[16]

Khattak

Vowel Lengthening

The Khattak dialect, as deduced by Yusuf Khan Jazab in contrast to non-Karāṇi dialects differentiates lexemes in term of vowel lengthening.^[17]

Example: between /e/ and /eː/ - transcribed as "e" and "ē" respectively to indicated the distinction.

Vocabulary

The following words which are rare in Kandhari and Yusapzai Pashto, were noted by Yousaf Khan Jazab in the Khattak dialect:^[18]

Baniswola [Banusi]

Banusi Nasalisation compared to Standard Pronunciation

[[:File:Ps-Banusi-nasalisation.wav|/t̪lə̃/ /t̪ləm/]]

I was going

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Nasalisation

In the Bannu dialect the nasalisation of vowels has been noted , as mentioned by Yousuf Khan Jazab:^[19]

Stress

As with other dialects stress on a particular syllable can also change the meaning of a word or aspect of the verb.^[20]