29,306,000 (1995). 14% speak Berber languages. Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria. al-Jumhuriya al-Jazãiriya ad-Dimuqratiya ash-Shabiya. Literacy rate 50% to 52%. Also includes Hassaniya Arabic 150,000 (1993). Information mainly from J M. Cowan 1973, Applegate in Sebeok 1970. Data accuracy estimate: B, C. Sunni Muslim. Blind population 25,000. Deaf institutions: 3. The number of languages listed for Algeria is 17.
ALGERIAN SIGN LANGUAGE [ASP] Deaf sign language. It has influenced the deaf community in Oujda in northern Morocco. Survey needed.
ARABIC, ALGERIAN SAHARAN SPOKEN (SAHARAN ARABIC, TAMANRASSET ARABIC, TAMANGHASSET ARABIC) [AAO] 100,000 in Algeria (1996); 100,000 in Niger (1991); 200,000 in all countries. Moroccan border along the Atlas Mts.,northeast to Medea (south of Algiers), southeast to the Righ Wadi, south to 28 degrees Latitude, as far as Plateau du Tademait, including some in the town of Tamanrasset. Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic. Structurally distinct from other Arabic. Survey needed.
ARABIC, ALGERIAN SPOKEN (ALGERIAN) [ARQ] 20,400,000 in Algeria (1996 Hunter), 83% of the population (1991); 660,000 in France; 10,800 in Belgium (1984 Time); 60,000 in Netherlands; 26,000 in Germany; 22,400,000 in all countries. 2,000,000 outside of Algeria (1995 Hunter). Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic. Dialects: CONSTANTINE, ALGIERS, ORAN. Algerian and Tunisian dialects are close, but speakers prefer their own varieties. The Ouled Nail of Biskra speak Arabic, and are ethnically separate. Sunni Muslim, Christian. NT 1965. Bible portions 1872-1964.
ARABIC, STANDARD [ABV] Middle East, North Africa. Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic. Preserves the ancient grammar. Used for written materials, formal speeches. Not a mother tongue, but taught in schools. National language. Braille Scripture in progress. Bible 1984-1991. NT 1980-1982. Bible portions 1984.
CHAOUIA (SHAWIYA, SHAWIA) [SHY] 1,400,000 (1993). South and east of Grand Kabylie, Aurès Mts. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Shawiya. One of the major Berber varieties. Muslim. Bible portions 1950. Survey needed.
FRENCH [FRN] 110,600 in Algeria (1993); 72,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Known more in the cities. Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Romance. 20% of the population can read and write French, and more can speak it. Braille Bible. Bible 1530-1986. NT 1474-1980. Bible portions 1483-1987.
KABYLE [KYL] 2,537,000 in Algeria (1987), 8% of the population; 537,000 in France (1984); 3,074,000 in all countries. Grande Kabylie Mt. range, western Kabylia. Also in Belgium. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Kabyle. Dialects: GREATER KABYLE, LESSER KABYLE. The name Kabyle derives from the Arabic word for 'tribesman'. 25% literate. Speakers have pride in Kabyle and resistance to Arabic. Kabyle is used in the home and market, French is used by men in trade and correspondence. Patrilineal and patrilocal. Mountain slope. Peasant agriculturalists: olives, figs, pomegranates, peaches, apricots, pears, plums, vegetables. Muslim, secular, Christian. NT 1901-1958. Bible portions 1885-1990.
TACHELHIT (TACHILHIT, TASHILHEET, TASHELHIT, TSHALHIT, TASHELHAIT, TASHELHAYT, TASOUSSIT, SHILHA, SOUTHERN SHILHA) [SHI] 3,000,000 in all countries; 2,300,000 in Morocco (1991). Southern Algeria near the Moroccan border around Tabelbala. Also in France. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Atlas. Dialect: SUSIUA (SUS, SOUSSE). One of the most important Berber languages. Their name for their language is 'Tachelhit'. 'Shilha' is the Arabic name for Moroccan Berber dialects in general. Many men are bilingual in Arabic, but many women do not learn Arabic. Muslim. Bible portions 1906-1925. Survey needed.
TADAKSAHAK (DAUSAHAQ, DAOUSSAK, DAOUSSAHAQ, DAWSAHAQ) [DSQ] 1,800 in Algeria (1983 Nicolai); 30,000 to 40,000 in Mali (1995); 32,000 to 42,000 in all countries. Tabelbala oasis. Nilo-Saharan, Songhai. Dialects: KORANJE (BELBALI), INGELSI. The people are called Belbali. They call themselves 'Idaksahak' (pl.). 50% lexical similarity with Gao Songai, 51% with Timbuktu Songai. Nomadic herdsmen. Muslim. Work in progress.
TAGARGRENT (OUARGLA, OUARGLI, WARGLA) [OUA] 5,000 (1995). South of Constantine, near Mzab. Ouargla and Ngouça are the main centers. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Mzab-Wargla. Dialects: OUEDGHIR (WADI), TEMACIN, TARIYIT. Related to Tumzabt, Temacine Tamazight, and Taznatit. Status as a language or dialect is not defined. Healthy language and cultural attitudes. Tariyit is a possible dialect spoken by the haratine (former slaves of the Ouargli people). Dictionary. Muslim. Survey needed.
TAMAHAQ, HOGGAR (TAMACHEK, TAMASHEKIN, TOMACHEK, TUAREG, TOUAREG, TOURAGE, HOGGAR) [THV] 25,000 to 76,000 in all countries (1993), including 20,000 in the Hoggar dialect; 5,000 in the Ghat dialect (1987 Glover SIM); 17,000 in Libya (1993 Johnstone). The Hoggar dialect is in the south Hoggar (Ajjer) Mountain area around Tamanghasset and south into Niger. The Ghat dialect is in southeast Algeria around Ganet and west Libyan oases around Ghat. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Tamasheq, Northern. Dialects: HOGGAR (AHAGGAREN, AJJER, TAHAGGART), GHAT (GANET, DJANET). Tuareg are the people (Targi is the singular); Tamahaq is the language. Volcanic mountains. Inaden: blacksmiths, jewelry craftsmen. Muslim. Bible portions 1948-1965. Survey needed.
TAMAZIGHT, CENTRAL ATLAS (MIDDLE ATLAS BERBER, CENTRAL SHILHA) [TZM] 3,000,000 in all countries; 1,900,000 in Morocco (1991); 150,000 in France (1991). Western Algeria mountain area of Atlas and adjacent valleys to Taza, in the vicinity of Rabat, south near the Moroccan border. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Atlas. Dialect: SOUTH ORAN. One of the most important Berber languages. 'Tamazight' is the name of the language, 'Berber' of the people. Typology: VSO. Muslim. Bible portions 1919-1981. Survey needed.
TARIFIT (TIRIFIE, RIFF, RIFI, RUAFA, RIFIA, RIF, NORTHERN SHILHA, SHILHA) [RIF] 2,000,000 in all countries (1991); 1,500,000 in Morocco (1991). Along the coast, eastern Alteria to Arzeu. Also in France and Netherlands. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Riff. Dialects: ARZEU, IGZENNAIAN, IZNACEN (BENI IZNASSEN). Muslim. Bible portions 1887-1890. Survey needed.
TAZNATIT [GRR] 40,000 (1995). Isolated, around Timimoun, near the Touat region and around 400 miles southwest of the Mzab. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Mzab-Wargla. Dialects: GOURARA (GURARA), TOUAT (TUAT, TUWAT). Related to Tumzabt, Tagargrent, and Temacine Tamazight. 'Taznatit' is what they call their language. Strong language vitality and low intelligibility with other Tamazight speech forms, including Tumzabt and Tagargrent. Muslim. Survey needed.
TEMACINE TAMAZIGHT (TOUGOURT, TOUGGOURT, TUGURT) [TJO] 6,000 (1995). Vicinity of Temacine, Tamelhat, Ghomra, and Meggarin. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Mzab-Wargla. Related to Tumzabt, Tagargrent and Taznatit. Possibly a dialect of Tagargrent, but not likely. Speakers may have shifted to Arabic. Muslim. Survey needed.
TIDIKELT TAMAZIGHT [TIA] 9,000 (1995). Tidikelt, in the vicinity of Salah, and Tit in southern Algeria. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Tidikelt. Dialects: TIDIKELT, TIT. May be intelligible with Touat. People may have shifted to Arabic. Muslim. Survey needed.
TUMZABT (MZAB, MZABI, GHARDAIA) [MZB] 70,000 (1995). Mzab region, 330 miles south of Algiers. 7 oases; Ghardaia being the principal one. Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Mzab-Wargla. Only minor dialect variations. Related to Tagargrent, Temacine Tamzight, and Taznatit. Some speakers are probably bilingual in Arabic, French, or Spanish. 'Tumzabt' is their name for their language. Strong language and cultural vitality. Women are virtually monolingual in Tumzabt. Tumzabt villages are interspersed among Arabic speaking villages. Known as traders throughout Algeria. Dictionary. Traders. Muslim (Kharedjite). Survey needed.
Part of the Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor.
Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. All rights reserved.
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