Arabic, Egyptian Spoken
PrintA language of Egypt
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Lower Egypt Arabic, Masri, Massry, Normal Egyptian Arabic
Population
52,500,000 in Egypt (2006). Population total all countries: 53,990,000.
Location
Also in Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Language Maps
Language Status
3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.
Classification
Dialects
Cairene Arabic, North Delta Arabic, South Central Delta Arabic. Egyptian Spoken Arabic, based on Cairo speech (Cairene) is the most widely understood variety used for media, both in Egypt and throughout the non-nomadic Arab world. It is an amalgam of Delta Arabic and Middle Egypt Arabic, with borrowings from literary Arabic.
Language Development
Radio programs. Films. TV. NT: 1932.
Language Resources
Writing
Arabic script, primary usage. Braille script.
Muslim.