Morpho-Syntactic Variation in Balti Spoken in District Shiger

A Descriptive study

Abstract

The present study aims to explore morpho-syntactic variation in Balti, as spoken in the Shiger district of Gilgit Baltistan. Employing a descriptive-qualitative research design, the study examines a sample of 60 participants, randomly selected, with 15 individuals from each of the four villages in Shiger. The participants, all native Balti speakers, range in age from 30 to 60 years. Data collection was conducted through open-ended interviews, recorded in audio format. The findings of the study indicate that speakers from different regions within the Shiger district exhibit morpho-syntactic variations. Specifically, the study identifies four variants of Balti—Basha, Braldo, Shiger Mal, and Gulabpur—based on these variations. Consequently, dialectal boundaries can be delineated between these regions within the Shiger district. Moreover, this study contributes to the documentation of the Balti language, which is classified as one of the most endangered languages globally.