Hassaniyya

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A language of Mauritania

ISO 639-3
mey
Alternate Names
Hasanya, Hasanya Arabic, Hassani, Hassania, Hassaniya, Hassaniyya Arabic, Klem El Bithan, Maure
Population

2,770,000 in Mauritania (2006), increasing. Population total all countries: 3,278,190.

Location

Also in Algeria (Hassaniyya Arabic), Libya (Hassaniyya Arabic), Mali (Hasanya Arabic), Morocco (Hassaniyya Arabic), Niger (Hassaniyya Arabic), Senegal, Western Sahara (Hassaniyya Arabic).

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). Statutory language of national identity (1991, Constitution, Article 6).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Dialects

Not intelligible with other Arabic varieties. The Nemadi (Ikoku) are an ethnic group of 200 (1967) that speak Hassaniyya, but they have special morphemes for dogs, hunting, and houses. Nomadic between Mali and Mauritania.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 40% Arabic [arb]; 25% French. Literacy in Hassaniyya not encouraged by the government. Radio programs. Dictionary.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Hassaniyya
Writing
Arabic script. Latin script.
Other Comments

Ethnonym: Maures, Moors. White Maure are called Bithan, also used for Maures in general. Black Maures are called Haratine. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

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