Sylheti is a unique language with its own script, folklore, and distinct phonetic qualities. It’s also influenced by a variety of languages, including Arabic, Persian, and Bengali. 

Phonetics 

• Sylheti has a large set of fricative sounds
• It lacks breathy voiced stops, which are common in other Indic languages
• Sylheti has word-final stress
• Sylheti has tones

Vocabulary

• Sylheti has many loanwords from Arabic, Persian, Bengali, and Assamese 
• Sylheti shares a lot of vocabulary with Fari and Arabic 

Script 

• Sylheti has its own script, Nagri

Folklore

• Sylheti folklore is influenced by Hindu, Sufi, Turco-Persian, and native ideas 
• Sylheti folklore has been preserved through the centuries in the Sylheti script, Nagri 

Identity

• Sylheti has a strong regional identity 
• Sylheti identity is different from both Bengali and Assamese identities 
• Sylheti identity is shaped by a complex interplay of historical events, religious diversity, and migration 

Significance 

Sylheti has its own unique linguistic treasure

Sylheti is central to Sylheti identity