Khowar strong local substrate, similar to Burushaski in phonetics

                           Early Sources for South Asian Substrate Languages
                                                     by  Michael Witzel
                                       Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies
                   Harvard University  MOTHER TONGUE Special Issue, Oct. 1999

Another modern language in the same area is Khowar which belongs, along with

Kashmiri, Swati, etc. to the Dardic branch of IA. In its phonetics and vocabulary, however,

it shows a strong local substrate, similar to Burushaski. Unique for Khowar, however, is a

particular substrate whose origin remains unclear so far. It seems that the Khowars are a

late immigrant group who have taken over a Dardic language. Substrate(?) words in

Khowar which are neither IA nor Burushaski include (Kuiper 1962: 11, cf. Morgenstierne

1947: 6, Lorimer 1935 : xxi): γec 'eye', ap’ak 'mouth', krem 'back', camo h 'finger', iskī 'heel',

askår 'lungs'.

Kuiper (1962: 14) compares γec 'eye' with Bur. γai(c)-, γ'i-, γe-ic- 'to appear, seem, be

visible', and with g'e- 'to look, seem, appear', da-g'e- 'to peer' of the Munda language Sora

and with Parengi gi- 'to see'. (Differently, Morgenstierne, FS Belvalkar, 2nd section p. 91.)

For Bur. loans in Dardic and in Nuristani see Tikkanen 1988: 305 (cumar 'iron', ju

'apricot', etc.), cf. Fussman 1972 II, 37 sqq.; Lorimer 1938: 95, Morgenstierne 1935: xxi sqq.,

1947: 92 sqq.; Schmidt 1981, Berger 1998.

Finally, one must be open to assume the influence of other substrate languages in the

Hindukush/Pamir areas. There are local personal names such as RV Śambara Kaulitara and

his father *Kulitara who are 'in the mountains', Prayiyu and Vayiyu in Swat; names of

demons (as always, intentionally confused with those of real, human enemies) such as

Cumuri, Namuci, Ura a, Arbuda, Pipru, Śambara; tribal names such as Gandhåri,

D bhīka(?), Varc-in(?); river names such as Gandhåra, Krumu, Sindhu(?). Note also that the

Avesta (V.1) speaks about some of these areas, notably Varəna (Var u) as an-airiia 'non-

Aryan'.

  Early Sources for South Asian Substrate Languages
                                                     by  Michael Witzel
                                       Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies
                   Harvard University  MOTHER TONGUE Special Issue, Oct. 1999

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