Language profiles in Manchester

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Pashto

Language Pashto
Language name transliterated pashto
Language name original script
Distribution Afghanistan, Pakistan
Estimated number of speakers worldwide 60m
Language classification Indo-European; Indo-Iranian; Iranian
Related to which languages Persian
Distinctive features in sounds Voiceless unaspirated (no burst of breath) stops,; word-initial consonant clusters;
Distinctive features in grammar Words are inflected; verb appears at the end of the sentence; ergative language
Writing system Perso-Arabic script
Distinctive graphemes پ ټ چ څ ډ ړ ږ ښ ڼ ې
Status Official language Afghanistan, regional language Pakistan
Written language Widespread in Afghanistan, marginal in Pakistan
Number of persons identifying as “main language” in England & Wales (Census 2011) 40,277
Number of persons identifying as “main language” in Greater Manchester (Census 2011) 2,684
Number of persons identifying as “main language” in City of Manchester (Census (Census 2011) 1,147
Number of persons identifying as “main language” in Greater Manchester as percentage of total in England & Wales (Census 2011) 7%
Number of persons identifying as “main language” in City of Manchester as percentage of total in England & Wales (Census 2011) 3%
Proficiency in English, self-reported in City of Manchester (Census 2011)* Can speak English very well (35%), Can speak English well (43%), Cannot speak English well (19%), Cannot speak English (3%)
Distribution in City of Manchester (Census 2011) Longsight (222), Gorton South (183), Cheetham (135), Ardwick (90), Levenshulme (81)
Distribution in Greater Manchester (Census 2011) Oldham (627), Bury (295), Bolton (282)
First language of pupils in Manchester schools (2015) 424
Distribution in City of Manchester schools (2015) Cheetham CofE Community Academy (49), Chapel Street Primary School (27), Burnage Media Arts College (25), Levenshulme High School (23), Gorton Mount Primary Academy (22)
Total interpreter requests in Manchester’s GP practices (2014/2015) 167
Library loans (2012/2013) 13
Library acquisitions (2012/2013) n/a
M-4 interpreter requests (2012/2013) 414
Other home language common among speakers Dari, Urdu
Supplementary schools

*Percentages rounded to nearest whole number