Tunisia

Summary

Official Name: Republic of Tunisia
Population: 11,936,000
Principal Languages: Standard Arabic, Tunisian Spoken Arabic
Literacy Rate: 82% (2015 World Factbook)
International Conventions: ACHPR (1987), CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References: Applegate 1970, Cohen 1985, S’hiri 1994
Deaf Population: 21,240
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Tunisia is 8. Of these, 6 are living and 2 are extinct. Of the living languages, 2 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 4 are institutional, 1 is developing, and 1 is in trouble. Also listed are 7 unestablished languages.

Languages

Arabic, Algerian Saharan Spoken aao: Users: 68,000 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Algerian Spoken arq: Users: 268,000 in Tunisia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Libyan Spoken ayl: Users: 293,000 in Tunisia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc: Users: 23,000 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Standard arb: Users: 8,790,000 in Tunisia (2014 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1959, Constitution, Article 1). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Tunisian Spoken aeb: Widespread. Users: 10,800,000 in Tunisia (2014 census). Total users in all countries: 11,709,020. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Gained vitality in the 17th century with the use of Arabic script in literature. Used in everyday communications in Tunisia and Libya. Widely used in education after Tunisian independence in 1956. Alternate Names: Tunisian, Tunisian Arabic, Tunisian Darija Autonym: Derja, تونسي‎ (Tounsi) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
English eng: Users: 1,721,500 in Tunisia, all users. L1 users: 1,500 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 1,720,000 (Ramaswami et al 2012). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
French fra: Widespread. Users: 6,081,200 in Tunisia, all users. L1 users: 1,200 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 6,080,000 (Beck et al 2018). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Français Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Ghadamès gha: Users: 3,100 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, East
Italian ita: Users: 1,100 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
Lingua Franca pml: Tunis governorate; other major Mediterranean ports. Users: No known L1 speakers. The last speakers probably survived into the 1850s (Holm 1989). Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: ’Ajnabi, Aljamia, Ferenghi, Petit Mauresque, Sabir Classification: Pidgin, Romance based
Maltese mlt: Users: 3,400 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Sened sds: Qafsah governorate: Sened and Tmagourt villages, northwest of Gabès. Users: No known L1 speakers. The last speakers probably survived into the 1970s. Status: 10 (Extinct). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, East
Shilha jbn: Madanin governorate: Ajim, Djerba island, Guellala, and Sedouikech; Qabis governorate: Matmata, Tamezret, Taoujjout, and Zraoua; Qibili governorate: Douiret, Chenini, and Tataouine; Tunis city. Users: 50,000 in Tunisia (2004 S. Chaker). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Djerbi, Jabal Nafusi, Nafusi, Tunisian Berber Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Zenati, East
Tunisian Sign Language tse: Scattered, especially Tunis and Sfax. Users: 21,200 (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.2% of total population. Another estimate: 53,000 deaf (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Arabic, Standard

[arb] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1959, Constitution, Article 1). 8,790,000 in Tunisia (2014 SIL), all users.

3 (Wider communication)

Arabic, Tunisian Spoken

[aeb] 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Gained vitality in the 17th century with the use of Arabic script in literature. Used in everyday communications in Tunisia and Libya. Widely used in education after Tunisian independence in 1956. 10,800,000 in Tunisia (2014 census). Total users in all countries: 11,709,020.

5 (Dispersed)

English

[eng] 5* (Dispersed). 1,721,500 in Tunisia, all users. L1 users: 1,500 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 1,720,000 (Ramaswami et al 2012).

French

[fra] 5* (Dispersed). 6,081,200 in Tunisia, all users. L1 users: 1,200 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 6,080,000 (Beck et al 2018).

5 (Developing)

Tunisian Sign Language

[tse] 5 (Developing). 21,200 (2008 WFD). Approximately 0.2% of total population. Another estimate: 53,000 deaf (2014 IMB).

6b (Threatened)

Shilha

[jbn] 6b* (Threatened). 50,000 in Tunisia (2004 S. Chaker).

10 (Extinct)

Lingua Franca

[pml] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. The last speakers probably survived into the 1850s (Holm 1989).

Sened

[sds] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. The last speakers probably survived into the 1970s.

Unestablished

Arabic, Algerian Saharan Spoken

[aao] Unestablished. 68,000 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc).

Arabic, Algerian Spoken

[arq] Unestablished. 268,000 in Tunisia (2016).

Arabic, Libyan Spoken

[ayl] Unestablished. 293,000 in Tunisia (2016).

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken

[apc] Unestablished. 23,000 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc).

Ghadamès

[gha] Unestablished. 3,100 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc).

Italian

[ita] Unestablished. 1,100 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc).

Maltese

[mlt] Unestablished. 3,400 in Tunisia (2015 J. Leclerc).

Maps

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Tunisia with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Tunisia is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Tunisia with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Tunisia is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for Tunisia in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Resources

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Digest of the languages of Tunisia ($149.95, 20 page PDF)

Tunisia

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action