The comparative study reveals substantial phonological and syntactic similarities between the Sindhi and Brahui languages
Aziz Kingrani
This article presents a comparative analysis of aspirated consonants in the Sindhi and Brahui languages, with a focus on the phonological parallels between them. The study posits that the presence of similar aspirated consonants in Brahui, particularly those not traceable to Sanskrit or other Indo-Aryan sources, indicates a direct phonetic and lexical influence from Sindhi. Through etymological analysis and comparative phonology, the research highlights that a significant number of Brahui lexical items containing aspirated sounds are of Sindhi origin. Furthermore, it explores historical and sociolinguistic factors that may have facilitated this phonological convergence. Although Sindhi is currently classified as an Indo-Aryan language, it retains substratal influences from Dravidian and Proto-Dravidian languages. Brahui, traditionally considered a Dravidian language, is geographically isolated from the other Dravidian languages of South India. This study contributes to the broader discourse on areal linguistics and language contact in South Asia by emphasizing the aspiratic influence of Sindhi on Brahui.
The language of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is widely hypothesized to have been Dravidian in nature, with Mohenjo-Daro—located in present-day Sindh—as a key center (Virkerk, 2018). Among the Dravidian languages, Brahui is the only one spoken in Pakistan, with its speakers primarily located in Balochistan but also present across districts of Sindh (Shakir, 2015). Given the geographical and historical proximity between Sindhi and Brahui speakers, it is plausible that the Sindhi language has exerted significant phonological and lexical influence on Brahui.
It is believed by some scholars that Brahui speakers migrated westward from the Indus region during the Aryan invasion. As a result, Brahui retained its Dravidian structure with limited Indo-Aryan influence for a significant period. Some researchers suggest that Brahui speakers may have arrived from India around a thousand years ago (Kolichala, 2015). Simultaneously, linguistic data indicates Dravidian loanwords in Indo-Aryan languages dating back to the Middle Rigvedic Period (c. 1200 BCE), suggesting a possible area of contact in present-day Sindh (Kolichala, 2015). Proto-Dravidian elements in Brahui substantiate its antiquity.
Dravidian and Proto-Dravidian Lexicon
Examples of Proto-Dravidian (PDr) words present in Brahui include:
- Xarãs (Kharãs) – “bull” (PDr kaṭac)
- Heṭ – “she-goat”; Malṭ – “son”
- Nìr – “water” (often misinterpreted as “blood” by Kolichala); Dìr as a phonetic variant meaning “water” (cf. Nìr in Sindhi, meaning both “water” and “tears”)
These examples demonstrate the persistence of Proto-Dravidian roots in Brahui, and their parallels in Sindhi lend credence to sustained linguistic interaction.
Aspirated Consonants in Brahui and Sindhi
Aspirated consonants are speech sounds articulated with a forceful burst of air. Brahui contains voiced aspirated consonants such as gh, jh, dh, bh, which are not native to Persian or Arabic. Their presence in Brahui has traditionally been attributed to Indo-Aryan influence (Krishnamurti, 2003), but this paper argues that Sindhi, rather than Hindi or Sanskrit, is the more likely source due to its proximity and stronger historical interaction.
Steever (1998) notes that Malayalam also contains similar voiced aspirates, e.g., bhāram (weight), indicating a broader Dravidian capacity to integrate such sounds. Hafizullah Sarporah (2017) states that aspirated consonants in Brahui emerged through contact with Hindi. However, given the linguistic history of the region, it is more probable that Sindhi played the primary role in this phonological transfer.
Examples of Aspirated Consonants in Brahui and Their Sindhi Counterparts:
- Bh (بھ، ڀ)
- Bhalo (Br) – “big”
- Bhãz (Br) – “a lot”
- Th (تھ، ٿ)
- Thar (Br) – “to slaughter”; Thri-aa – “horned”
- Thãl (Br) / Thãlh (Sd) – “kneading vessel”
- Thamb (Br) / Thanbh (Sd) – “pillar”
- Ṭh (ٹھ، ٺ)
- Thope (Br) / Tope (Sd) – “cap”
- Thap (Br, Sd) – “wound”
- Jh (جھ)
- Jhatt (Br, Sd) – “sudden, sometime”
- Jhamar (Br) – “cloud”
- Chh (چھ، ڇ)
- Chutaf (Br) / Chutto (Sd) – “ended”
- Chuna, Chiva, Churo (Br) – “little”, “when”, “urine”
- Kh (خ)
- Yakh (Br) / Yakh (Sd) – “cold”
- Khan (Br) – from PDr Kan – “eye”
- Kano (Sd) – “one-eyed”
- Dh (دھ، ڌ)
- Dhul (Br) / Duhul (Sd) – “drum”
- Dhar (Br) – “to descend”
- Ḍh (ڈھ، ڍ)
- Dhor (Br) / Dhoro (Sd) – “pond”
- Dhagi (Br, Sd) – “cow”
- Dher (Br, Sd) – “heap”
- Dhul (Br) – “large bite”
- Ph (پھ، ڦ)
- Phagã – “tomorrow”
- Phut – “hair”
- Phal – “day after tomorrow”
- Kh (کھ، ک)
- Khad (Br) / Khadu (Sd) – “pit”
- Khodãl (Br) / Kodar (Sd) – “digging implement”
- Gh (گھ)
- Gatt (Br) – “stuck”
Syntax
The syntactic structure of Brahui and Sindhi also shows similarities, particularly in their Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order:
- Brahui: Anwar eragh kunek
- Sindhi: Anwar ma’ani khãe tho
- English: “Anwar eats a meal”
This syntactic parallel further supports the hypothesis of long-standing linguistic contact.
Conclusion
The comparative study reveals substantial phonological and syntactic similarities between the Sindhi and Brahui languages. The prevalence of aspirated consonants in Brahui—largely absent in native Dravidian phonology but common in Sindhi—indicates a significant influence from Sindhi. While Brahui has been influenced by Persian and Arabic as well, the aspirated consonants appear to be a product of its prolonged interaction with Sindhi. This analysis contributes to the broader understanding of language contact, diffusion, and convergence in South Asia.
References
- Virkerk, Annemarie. (2018). Study of Dravidian Language Family.
- Shakir, Nazir. (2015). Brahui va Balochi.
- Kolichala, Suresh. (2015). Dravidian Languages and Linguistics.
- Steever, B. Sanford. (1998). The Dravidian Languages. Routledge, London.
- Sarporah, Hafizullah. (2017). Brahui aur Farsi Sarf-o-Nahv ka Taqabuli Mutalia.
- Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju. (2003). The Dravidian Languages. Cambridge University Press.
________________
Aziz Kingrani, hailing from village Haji Manik Kingrani, Johi, Dadu District, Sindh, Pakistan, is poet, short story writer, playwright and a researcher. He has been contributing in the fields of history and literature. He has served as a professor as well. His 17 books are published in English and Sindhi language.
