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, Moor
Autonym
Hassaniyya, حسانية‎‎‎ (Ḥassānīya)
User Population

3,560,000 in Mauritania (2017), increasing. Total users in all countries: 4,883,500.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps
Language Status

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

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

None known. 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. Used by all. Positive attitudes. All also use French [fra], as the language of education, media and government. Many also use Standard Arabic [arb], as the language of government, media, and religion (Ould Ahmed 2012). Used as L2 by Bambara [bam], Pulaar [fuc], Soninke [snk], Tamashek [tmh], Wolof [wol], Zenaga [zen].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 40% in Arabic [arb], 25% in French [fra]. Literacy in Hassaniyya not encouraged by the government. Literature. Radio. Dictionary.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Hassaniyya
Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Latin script [Latn], in development.

Other Comments

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

Also spoken in:

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