| Population |
754,590 speakers in Chad, 12% of the population (1993 census). Probably spoken by half the population including second language speakers (1977 J. Bendor-Samuel). Population total all countries 986,200. |
| Region |
Salamat, Ouaddai, Biltine, center of the Batha region and to the west, much of Chari-Baguirmi. Beginning to be more widely used in the Mayo-Kebbi, in the north of the Tandjilé and in the Guéra. Also spoken in Cameroon, CAR, Niger, Nigeria. |
| Alternate names |
ARABE CHOA, SHUWA ARABIC, SHUA ARABIC, SHUA, CHOWA, CHAD ARABIC, CHADIAN ARABIC, SUWA, L'ARABE DU TCHAD |
| Dialects |
BATHA (BILTINE), CHARI-BAGUIRMI (SALAMAT). |
| Classification |
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic. |
| Comments |
A pidginized variety of this, commonly called 'Bongor Arabic', is spoken as a second language by many people in the Mayo-Kebbi and other parts of south Chad. No diglossia with Modern Standard Arabic. 'Shuwa Arabic' is the name used in various other countries for the variety near Lake Chad. Language of wider communication, trade language. Dictionary. Grammar. Muslim. NT 1967-1991. |
| Cameroon |
| Language name |
ARABIC, SHUWA |
| Population |
63,600 in Cameroon (1982 SIL). |
| Alternate names |
ARABE CHOA, SHUA ARABIC, CHOA, CHOWA, SHUA, CHADIAN SPOKEN ARABIC |
| Comments |
Trade language. Muslim. NT 1967-1991. See main entry under Chad. |
| |
|
| Niger |
| Language name |
ARABIC, SHUWA |
| Population |
5,000 in Niger (1998). |
| Alternate names |
ARABE CHOA, SHUWA ARABIC, SHUA, CHADIC ARABIC |
| Comments |
Muslim. NT 1967-1991. See main entry under Chad. |
| |
|
| Nigeria |
| Language name |
ARABIC, SHUWA |
| Population |
100,000 in Nigeria (1973 SIL). |
| Alternate names |
ARABE CHOA, SHUWA, SHUA ARABIC, CHADIAN ARABIC |
| Comments |
No diglossia with Modern Standard Arabic. The term 'Shua' is considered perjorative by some people. Trade language. Muslim. NT 1967-1991. See main entry under Chad. |
| |
|
