DG's Journal: Learning Pashtun or Farsi

So it seems likely that I will be going to Afganistan sometime in the next three years, which means that I would do well to learn a local language - either Farsi or Pashtun.

Anybody out there have any good references for learning to speak either language? Which is going to be easier to learn for a native English speaker?

DG

For a start...

[Ethelred Unraed]

...Unilang [unilang.org] might be of some help in making your decision. (Pushtun is spelled "Pashto" there.)

One consideration: Farsi is more widely spoken outside of Afghanistan and would more likely land you a job later in intelligence (because of Iran). However, IIRC Pashto is more widespread within Afghanistan.

As to which is easier to learn, both are closely related and both are members of the extended Indo-European language family, so I don't know that one or the other will necessarily be easier for you to learn

Pashto is not the only language of Afghanistan

[Paul Bain]

Pashto is not the only language of Afghanistan, and, IIRC, only about 40-50% of the populace speaks Pashto as its native tongue. It is the most popular language therein, but mostly in the western and south-western parts of the country. Another advantage of learning Pashto (instead of one of the other languages) is that it is apparently also popular in adjoining Pakistan, where you may need buy supplies or find guides to help you to find the passes through the rugged mountains that form the border between th