Central Pashto

Central Pashto (منځنۍ پښتو) is a standard variety of the Pashto language, spoken in parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They are the middle dialects of Mangal, Zadran, Banuchi and Waziri. These dialects are affected by what Ibrahim Khan terms as "the Great Karlāṇ Vowel Shift".

Here is a comparison of Middle Dialects with South Eastern:

Zadrani
Daniel Septfonds provides the following example:

Vowel Shift
In Źadrāṇi, a vowel shift like Waziri has been noted:


 * Apridi

Afridi/Apridi is also categorised as a Northern Phonology.

Vowel Shift
There is presence of the additional vowels close-mid central rounded vowel /ɵ/ and open back rounded vowel /ɒː / in Apridi. The following vowel shift has been noted by Jdosef Elfenbein:


 * The [ a] in Pashto can become [ ɑ] and also [ e] in Apridi:


 * The [ ɑ] in Pashto can become [ ɒː] in Apridi:


 * The [ o] in Pashto can becomes [ ɵ] in Apridi:


 * The [ u] in Pashto can becomes [ i] in Apridi:

Lexical Comparison
Naseem Khan Naseem provides the following list:

Sample Text
The following difference can be noticed in pronunciation:

Kurama
The following is an example from Central Kurram agency; where a change in /ɑ/ to /ɔ/ can be seen:

Vowel Shift
In Waziri Pashto there is also a vowel shift

In Waziri dialect the in most other dialects of Pashto becomes  in Northern Waziri and  in Southern Waziri. In Waziri dialect the stressed in most other dialects of Pashto becomes   and. The in general Pashto may also become  or. When  in begins a word in general Pashto can become ,   or [w]

Diphthongs in Waziri
A change is noticed:

Vowel Lengthening
The Khattak dialect, as deduced by Yusuf Khan Jazab in contrast to non-Karāṇi dialects differentiates lexemes in term of vowel lengthening.

Example: between and  - transcribed as "e" and "ē" respectively to indicated the distinction.

Vocabulary
The following words which are rare in Kandhari and Yusapzai Pashto, were noted by Yousaf Khan Jazab in the Khattak dialect:

Nasalisation
In the Bannu dialect the nasalisation of vowels has been noted, as mentioned by Yousuf Khan Jazab:

Stress
As with other dialects stress on a particular syllable can also change the meaning of a word or aspect of the verb.