Towards a historical grammar of Balochi

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This work aims to enhance the understanding of Balochi historical grammar, focusing primarily on its phonology, which has not been comprehensively treated since the late 19th century. With new material from various Balochi dialects, the study distinguishes between sound changes affecting the language as a whole and those specific to certain varieties, a systematic approach attempted for the first time. By reassessing earlier analyses and comparing related languages like New Persian, Parthian, and Avestan, the book explores the evolution of Old Iranian sounds to Common Balochi and the subsequent changes leading to contemporary variants in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Findings reveal significant linguistic contact, particularly with Persian, as some Balochi sound changes diverge from typical North Western Iranian patterns. The predecessor of modern Balochi appears to be a dialect akin to Parthian, indicating Middle Iranian dialectal variation. The study also highlights the Balochi lexicon, showcasing loanwords influenced by Persian, Kurdish, Pashto, Brahui, and Modern Indic languages, particularly in kinship terminology. The book includes a morphological appendix and a detailed etymological index, contributing to the fields of New Iranian languages and historical Iranian linguistics.