Frustation over Garbage-Pashto

[BactrianEagle]

It is a matter of fact that a vast majority among literate Paxtuns are rather familiar with the Latin alphabet than with classic Paxto-Arabic.

As I understand from various comments many Paxtuns seem to end up frustrated due to experiencing serious troubles while trying to decode the message behind arbitrarily arranged alphabetic bouquets. What makes things even worse, many of us do their best to present us with lunatic creations like "peskhaor der khkooli shar dey".

What can we do to avoid such degenerated excesses that in terms of grammar and spelling eventually lead to the manifestation of this kind of Pidgin-Paxto.

Since Paxto is a highly structured language our traditional Paxto-Arabic scripture fails to cover all phonetic features. I wouldn't go so far to say that the adaption of the Arabic alphabet was a complete mistake in terms of ignoring the special need of Paxto and this is by no means an attempt to replace the Arabic scripture. However, especially when it comes to some sort of scientific usage the confusing jungle of dialects accompanied by an unsuitable representation of characters makes Paxto least qualified. Hence the bulk of publications by Paxtun scholars are released in foreign languages only.


Consequentially, the situation challenges the Paxtun literate community to agree upon common standards and to define a binding set of rules in order to break down lingual barriers and make communication work for everyone of us. In doing so, anther significant advantage would be a better accessibility of Paxto for foreign learners, not to mention the considerable number of non-Paxto speaking but ethnic Paxtun youth who may get more attracted and encouraged to learn a more cultured and urban version of Paxto.

Doesn't that feel like dreams coming true?

[BactrianEagle]

Just to demonstrate in practice how it looks like using a potential stardard scripture:

"Tor orbal rakhor ka jor da bangro shor ka Tor orbal rakhor ka jor da bangro shor ka 2x kha me ka zahmi zahmi [What? zahmi? I thout the writer was using "kh" for " ", why did he twice replace kh for an h?] bya me zra takor ka 2x Orbal che khor krama jor da bangro shor kam pa khpal khayes yara bal ba pa ta or krama 2x sta da khomari chashman, sta da malghari zulfan [ sta d/da marghaleri zulfán(meaning: your hair made of pearls) or sta dá marghalari zulfán(meaning: your this hair like pearls)] , sta dagha tanday zvani, speen jabeen aw sra lamba bal ramandy[2xramandy?] or ka jor da bangro shor["bang'rlo" being missing I could hardly distinguish between "shor shor" of pouring water or "shór" meaning alarm or confusion] ka hayyyyyy bal ramandy or ka jor da bangro shor ka (2x) kha me ka zakhmi zakhmi bya me zra tako"
(A post on Rahim Shahs song - copied from youtube)

Standard Paxto version:

Tór orbal rá xór ka, [ó = stressed o]
jórl d bang'rlo shór ka. [rl = sounds like "r" in engl. right, row ; always use of
apostrophe when more than 2 consonants come after each other]

Xa mé ka zaxmi zaxmi, [see below]
bia mé z'rla thakór ka.

Orbal ce xór k'rlema, [c = "ch" in China]
Jórl d bang'rlo shór k'rlema, [d = "da" meaning of, from; important to distinguish it from "dá"=this]

Pa xpel xáyest yára, [e = see below]
bal ba pe tá ór k'rlema. [á = stressed a like "aa"]

[BactrianEagle]

Xa mé ka zaxmi zaxmi, [see below]
bia mé z'rla thakór ka.


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I apologize for a mistake

in the first line, first word: its correct spelling is "xe" instead of (xa).

[dardmand]

Our problem is that the expert do not agree on a common script. Everybody gives references to either the Bara Gali's recommendations or they would advise you to turn to the classics.
I have been recently engaged in a conversations with some of the experts while working on a Pashto text books. Our problems is that our experts have very limited knowledge of linguistics and descriptive grammar.

[BactrianEagle]

ښه راغلاست
ستاسو له ځواب نه مننه. ښکاري چی ستاسو خبرتیا د موضوع په حکله پراخه وي
بله دا چی تاسی یو کتاب ترجمه کونی نه نوم واخیست، ځکه اوس زما پام دی خوا ته ونښتید
که عتراز نه لرې خورا به خوښ سم څو دی په زړه پوری مسالهِ باندی یو څه ژور معلومات راکې
درناوې