Lexical Variations in Marwat and Waziri Dialects

Abstract

This study aims to investigate and analyze the lexical variations in the Marwat and Waziri dialects of the Pashto language. The data is collected via structured interviews with sample sizes of 10. A mixed research design is selected for the current study. After gathering the data, it is analyzed through analytical and descriptive theoretical frameworks under Pashto dialectology. The study found that the lexical variations in the two dialects most often occurred in the categories of kitchen items, action verbs, animals, and wearing components with the highest percentage from 13% to 16%. Besides, the average lexical differences were found in the categories of decoration objects, body parts, construction items, food items, imperative, and natural phenomena with the mid-level percentage from 5% to 9%. However, the less lexical variations were found in the categories of states, ceremony, family relationship, geographical area, and interrogative with the lowest percentage from 1% to 4%. Thus, the highest percentages demonstrate that the lexical variations in the Marwat and Waziri dialects more often occurred in the categories of kitchen items, action verbs, animals, and wearing components which are related to households. Furthermore, the mid-level percentages show the average lexical differences in the said dialects in the categories of decoration objects, body parts, construction items, food items, imperative, and natural phenomena, while the lowest percentages indicate the rare lexical differences in the two dialects in the categories of states, ceremony, family relationship, geographical area, and interrogative that are related to concepts, not objects. Moreover, there is a need for a thorough study on the syntactical and morphological differences in Marwat and Waziri dialects as well as on other Northwest dialects such as Khattak and Banochi.