Languages of Mauritania
Afro-Asiatic languages (formerly known as hamito-semitic)
- Arabic
- Berber
- Zenaga: Still used in the south of the country, close to the River Sénégal, the last vestige of the Berber identity in Mauritania. Those who use it are known are Zenaga, after the language they speak. Otherwise, most of the Moor population speak Berber languages. Islamisation and Arabisation of the population have meant that much of this population have lost all ties with this world. In 1978, even the term Arabo-Berber to designate the Moors was replaced by Arab.
- Tamasheq: Tamasheq (language of the Touaregs) is present in the extreme south-east of the country, close to the Malian border.
French
Main articles: Maghreb French and African French
Due to colonialism, European languages are often present on the African continent. Mauritania is no exception to this rule. Mauritania is a member of Francophonie. Most of the population speaks French. The historic ties with France are still present, although Mauritania has also become more Arabised.
Niger-Congo languages
Notes
- ↑ English: Fula; French: Peul; in central and eastern West Africa the endonym is Fulfulde
See also
- Hassaniyya
- Mauritania
- Moors
External links
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