Arabic, Najdi Spoken
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A language of Saudi Arabia
8,000,000 in Saudi Arabia. Total users in all countries: 11,645,300.
Widespread, especially in interior areas, including Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Qasim, and Ha’il provinces; Al Madinah Province, Ta’if area and east; in south, western portions of Najran and ’Asir provinces, with a small border area in Jizan Province; all but the southeast of Ar Riyad Province, northern portions of Ash Sharqiyah Province; northeastern Tabuk Province.
3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language.
North Najdi (Bani Khaalid, Dafiir, Shammari), Central Najdi (’Ajmaan, Al-Qasiim, ’Awaazim, Biishah, Haayil, Hofuf, Mutair, Najraan, Rashaayda, Riyadh, Rwala, Sudair, ’Utaiba, Wild ’Ali), South Anjdi (Aal Murrah, Najran). Some dialects spoken by Bedouins. A member of macrolanguage Arabic [ara].
SVO.
Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab].
Muslim.