ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKEN: a language of Iraq

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: ACM

ISO 639-2: sem

Population	11,500,000 in Iraq. Population total all countries 13,900,000.
Region	Tigris and Euphrates clusters are in Iraq. Also spoken in Iran, Jordan, Syria, Turkey (Asia).
Alternate names	MESOPOTAMIAN QELTU ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN GELET ARABIC, BAGHDADI ARABIC, IRAQI ARABIC, FURATI
Dialects	ANATOLIAN CLUSTER, TIGRIS CLUSTER, EUPHRATES CLUSTER.
Classification	Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Comments	Geographical and sectarian divisions correlate with Iraqi dialects. The vernacular standard is forming based on Baghdad speech. There are also Bedouin dialects. Nearly unintelligible to speakers of certain other vernacular Arabic varieties. National language. SVO. Radio programs, TV. Shi'a Muslim, Sunni Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Yazidi.

Also spoken in:

Iran

Language name	ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKEN
Population	1,200,000 in Iran.
Alternate names	MESOPOTAMIAN GELET ARABIC
Comments	SVO. Shi'a Muslim. See main entry under Iraq.

Syria

Language name	ARABIC, MESOPOTAMIAN SPOKEN
Population	1,800,000 in Syria.
Alternate names	NORTH SYRIAN ARABIC, FURATI, MESOPOTAMIAN GELET ARABIC
Dialects	EUPHRATES CLUSTER.
Comments	SVO. Muslim, Christian, Jewish. See main entry under Iraq.