Morocco
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Arabic, Hassaniyya
[mey] Souss-Massa-Drâa region, western Algeria border; Western Sahara, south from Laayoune, El-Aaiún, El Ayun; Mhamid. 195,000 in Morocco (2004 census). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Hasanya, Hassani, Maure, Mauri, Moor, Sahrawi, Sulaka Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Judeo-Moroccan
Arabic, Moroccan Spoken
[ary] Widespread, south of Atlas Mountains, including Sahara port cities. 18,800,000 in Morocco (1995). Population total all countries: 21,048,900. L2 users: 5,000,000 in Morocco. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Colloquial Arabic, Maghrebi Arabic, Maghribi, Moroccan Arabic, Moroccan Colloquial Arabic, Moroccan Dareja, Moroccan Darija, Moroccan Dereja Dialects: Fez, Jebli (Jbala, Jebelia), Marrakech, Meknes, Oujda, Rabat-Casablanca Arabic, Southern Morocco Arabic, Tangier. A member of macrolanguage Arabic [ara].
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic Comments: Muslim (Sunni).
Arabic, Standard
[arb] Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2011, Constitution, Article 5). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
French
[fra] Widespread. 80,000 in Morocco. L2 users: 4,150,000 in Morocco (Francophonie 2007). Status: 3 (Wider communication). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Ghomara
[gho] Tangier-Tetouan region: Chechaouen province, 60 km southeast of Tétouan, Rif Mountains coast. 10,000 (2008 J. Hannouche). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Shilha, Taghumarit, Tamazight Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Ghomara Comments: Muslim.
Moroccan Sign Language
[xms] Scattered in urban areas. 63,400. 63,400 sign language users, 155,000 total deaf (2008 WFD). 165,000 (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Langue des Signes du Maroc, Langue des Signes Marocain, LSM, MSL Dialects: None known. Signing varies between different cities, due to differences in the deaf schools, but is beginning to unify as younger Deaf people from different cities are in contact with each other. Signed exact version of the spoken language (Arabic [arb] or French [fra]) is often used by teachers, and they may introduce signs from ASL [ase], LSF [fsl] or other foreign sign languages; students learn the local variety of sign language from their peers. Reported Algerian Sign Language [asp] influence in Oujda. Young Deaf adults, ages 15–40 (as of 2014), are in contact with deaf from other cities and countries via the internet and are borrowing some signs.
Classification: Deaf sign language Comments: One-handed fingerspelling systems for words borrowed from French [fra] and Arabic [arb]. American Sign Language [ase] reportedly introduced by United States Peace Corps. 5 interpreters (2008 WFD). Very few hearing people sign well. Muslim (Sunni).
Senhaja Berber
[sjs] Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate region: west of Tarifit, Ketama area. 50,000 (2013). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Senhaja de Srair, Senhajiya, Shilha, Shilha Barbarya, Shilha n Jbala, Tajeblit, Tamazight, Tamazight n Jbala, Tasenhajit Dialects: Beni Ahmed, Beni Bechir, Beni Buensar, Beni Jennus, Beni Mesdui, Beni Seddat, Quetama (Ketama), Sarcat, Tagsut. A separate language from Tarifit [rif].
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Riff Comments: Shilha is Arabic for Moroccan Berber language varieties in general. Shilha n Jbala or Tamazight n Jbala are commonly used names which mean Berber of the Mountain People. An Arabic name for this is Senhajiya. Muslim.
Spanish
[spa] Scattered. North coast. 6,590 in Morocco (Instituto Cervantes 2012). L2 users: 3,410,000 in Morocco (Instituto Cervantes 2012). Status: 7 (Shifting). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
Tachelhit
[shi] Souss-Massa-Drâa, Guelmim-Es Semara, Marrakesh-Tensift-Al Haouz, and Tadla-Azilal regions: coast south to Ifni, north to near Agadir, northeast to Marrakech outskirts, east to Drâa, including Sous valley, and south near the border. 3,890,000 in Morocco (2004 census). Population total all countries: 3,896,000. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Shilha, Soussiya, Southern Shilha, Susiya, Tachilhit, Tashelheyt, Tashelhit, Tashilheet, Tashlhiyt, Tasoussit Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Atlas Comments: ‘Shilha’ is the Arabic name for Moroccan Berber varieties in general. Muslim.
Tamazight, Central Atlas
[tzm] Widespread, especially Middle and east High Atlas Mountains, adjacent valleys to Taza, Rabat area; 1,200,000 in rural areas between Taza, Khemisset, Azilal, Errachidia; 100,000 outside the language area. 2,340,000 in Morocco (2004 census). Population total all countries: 2,490,000. 936,000 monolinguals. Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Central Shilha, Middle Atlas Berber, Moroccan Amazigh, Shilha, Tachelhit Dialects: Much dialect variety. May be more than 1 language.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Atlas Comments: 65% live in rural areas, 10% live outside the traditional area. Muslim.
Tamazight, Standard Moroccan
[zgh] Widespread. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2011, Constitution, Article 5). Alternate Names: Amazighe standard marocain Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Atlas
Tarifit
[rif] Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate and Oriental regions. Dialects from all areas of the Rif. 1,270,000 in Morocco (2004 census). Population total all countries: 1,470,000. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Northern Shilha, Rif, Rif Berber, Rifeño, Riff, Rifia, Rifiya, Shilha, Tamazight, Tamazight n Arrif, Tarifiyt, Tarifyt Berber Dialects: Ayt Aamart, Ayt Buyahyi, Ayt Ittef, Ayt Mezduy, Ayt Saaid, Ayt Settut, Ayt Tamsaman, Ayt Tfarsit, Ayt Tuzin, Ayt Urishesh, Ayt Waryaghar, Ibeqquyen, Icebdanen, Igzennayen, Iqeraayen, Iznasen (Beni Snassen).
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Riff Comments: Rifiya is the Arabic name, Ethnonyms: Rifi (sg.) or Ruafa (pl.), Rif, Riff, or Arrif are geographical names. Muslim.
Taznatit
[grr] Oriental region. South Oran dialect is in Figuig, Ich, and Ain Chair. Status: 6b (Threatened). Dialects: South Oran.
Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, Mzab-Wargla