[4] According to its genealogical classification (Strand, 1973:302 and 2004), Gawri belongs to the Kohistani subgroup of the north-western zone of Indo-Aryan languages, along with several closely related languages in its geographical vicinity: Torwali (in Swat south of Kalam), Indus Kohistani, Bateri, Chilisso, and Gawro (the latter four east of Kalam in Indus Kohistan).
[5] Gawri is one of about thirty languages that are spoken in the mountain areas of northern Pakistan.
As a matter of fact, there are several distinct languages in the area that are all popularly called Kohistani.
The language under study in this paper is spoken in the upper parts of the valley of the Swat River, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan.
However, very recently a number of intellectuals belonging to a local cultural society have started to call their language Gawri, a name that has old historical roots.