Nobiin

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A language of Sudan

ISO 639-3

fia

Alternate Names

Fiadidja-Mahas, Mahas-Fiadidja, Mahas-Fiyadikkya

Population

295,000 in Sudan (1996). Total users in all countries: 634,000.

Location

Ash Shamaliyah state: Wadi Halfa district, Burgeg to Wadi Halfa; possibly east of Khartoum city, New Halfa area.

Language Maps

Egypt and Libya

Sudan

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification

Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Northern (k languages), Nubian, Northern

Dialects

Mahas (Mahasi, Mahass). Lexical similarity: 67% with Kenzi [xnz], but not intelligible of it.

Language Use

Some young people, all adults. Also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd].

Language Development

Poetry. Grammar. Bible portions: 1860–1899.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Nobiin

Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Coptic script [Copt], Old Nubian variant. Latin script [Latn].

Also spoken in:

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Egypt

Language nameNobiin

Population

339,000 in Egypt (2014).

Location

Aswan governorate: Kom Ombo area; shares area with Mattokki [xnz]; scattered in cities.

Alternate Names

Fadicca, Fadicha, Fadija, Fedicca, Fedija, Fiadidja, Fiadidja-Mahas, Fiyadikkya, Mahas, Mahas-Fiadidja, Nile Nubian, Sukot

Dialects

Fiyadikka.

Status

7 (Shifting).

Language Use

Most in the ethnic group are now monolingual in Egyptian [arz] or Sa’idi [aec] Arabic. The shift to Arabic is expected to continue in the cities.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. The language is the central feature of Nubian identity. Spoken by the Fedicca in Egypt and the Mahas in Sudan. Muslim.

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Ethnologue

Nobiin

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A language of Sudan

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