The Dual Faces of Pashto: Analyzing Diglossia and Vernacular Diversity Using Ferguson's Framework and the Strategies to Explore the Regional Varieties

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Pashto language varieties through the framework of Ferguson’s diglossia model, focusing on Educated Standard Pashto, Regional Standard Pashto, and Prestige Standard Pashto. The research examines how these variants reflect and diverge from classical diglossic criteria. Educated Standard Pashto, which developed in the early 20th century, is characterized by its formal usage in education and media. While it exhibits features of a High form, such as a rich lexicon of paired terms and limited literacy, it does not fully meet Ferguson’s criteria due to the absence of a religious text and minimal grammatical differences from Low Pashto. Despite its prestige in formal contexts, its impact is somewhat mitigated by the low literacy rate in Afghanistan, with many illiterate speakers acquiring aspects of this variant informally through media exposure. Regional Standard Pashto, used as a common dialect among Pashtuns from various tribes, emerges in cities like Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Kabul. Each of these regional standards reflects local tribal influences and adaptations, with Kandahar and Jalalabad Pashto being shaped by their respective tribal dialects. In contrast, Kabul’s Pashto incorporates elements from multiple regional varieties and is notably influenced by Dari, the predominant language in the capital. This regional variation facilitates communication among Pashto speakers from diverse backgrounds. Prestige Standard Pashto, primarily represented by Southern Pashto, holds significant cultural and historical status due to the Durrani Confederacy’s role in Afghan history. Although its prestige is largely symbolic, reflecting Pashtun ethnic unity rather than a formalized linguistic tradition, it plays a crucial role in the standardization efforts of Educated Standard Pashto. The study shows Pashto partly aligns with Ferguson’s diglossia model, mainly through lexical differences and limited literacy, but lacks in areas like significant grammatical divergence and a central religious text. It highlights the complexities of Pashto's regional variations and the media’s role in linking High and Low Pashto.