Hantza/Dialects

Hantza is spoken in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Four main dialectal divisions are usually made. As of yet, there is no standard form of the language.

Turkmenistan

Karakum

With some 85,000 speakers, the Karakum dialect is the largest and most conservative dialect of Hantza. It is spoken in central and western Turkmenistan.

This is also the most studied Hantza dialect.

Balkan

The Balkan dialect is also spoken in western Turkmenistan but has considerably fewer speakers (6,000) than the Karakum dialect. It is notable for its integration of loan words and smaller mode (tense-aspect-mood) system.

Uzbekistan

Predominant in Uzbekistan, the Qarshi dialect of Hantza is spoken by around 41,000 people.

There is a second, small dialect found in Uzbekistan which has only 2,000 or so speakers.

Afghanistan

The so-called Afghan dialect of Hantza is a collection of five smaller sub-dialects, each one having between 4,000 and 6,000 speakers.

These are the least studied dialects.