Zenaga

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A language of Mauritania

ISO 639-3
zen
Alternate Names
Mauritania Berber, Mauritanian Berber, Zenaga Berber
Autonym
ⵜⵓⵥⵥⵓⵏⴳⵉⵢⵢⴰ‎ (Tuẓẓungiyya)
User Population

200 in Mauritania (2018), decreasing.

Location

Trarza region: Atlantic coast to Mederdra.

Language Maps
Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Zenaga
Dialects

None known. Related to other Berber languages in basic structure though specific features are quite different.

Language Use

Mainly adults. Community. Shifted to Hassaniyya [mey]. Many also use Standard Arabic [arb], as the language of government, media, and religion (Ould Ahmed 2012). Also use French [fra], as the language of education, media and government.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 10% in Arabic [arb]. Grammar.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Zenaga
Writing

Tifinagh (Berber) script [Tfng].

Other Comments

Bedouins, reported to travel mainly in caravans. Racially, both white and black; the latter are descendants of slaves captured centuries ago. Muslim.