Moroccan Arabic
| Moroccan Darija | |
|---|---|
| الدارجة Darija | |
| Pronunciation | [ddæɾiʒæ] |
| Native to | Morocco |
|
Native speakers
|
21 million (1995) |
|
Afro-Asiatic
|
|
| Latin alphabet, Arabic alphabet | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | moro1292 |
Moroccan Darija (الدارجة, [ddæɾiʒæ] in Morocco) or Moroccan Arabic is a language derived from a variety of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It belongs to the Maghrebi Arabic language continuum and is mutually intelligible, to some extent, with Algerian Arabic and to a lesser extent with Tunisian Arabic. It shows a very strong historical and linguistic Berber, French, and Spanish influence on it.
The Standard Arabic language, not spoken in daily life, is used for official communications by the government and other public bodies. However, Moroccan Darija has a strong presence in Moroccan television entertainment, cinema and commercial advertising and is the most spoken language in daily life.
Moroccan Darija is a cover term for several distinct dialects of Arabic several belonging to two genetically different groups: pre-Hilalian and Hilalian dialects.
Pre-Hilalian dialects are a result of early Arabization phases of the Maghreb, from the 7th to the 12th centuries, concerning the main urban settlements, the harbors, the religious centres (zaouias) as well as the main trade routes. The dialects are generally classified in three types: (old) urban, "village" and "mountain" sedentary and Jewish dialects. In Morocco, several pre-Hilalian dialects are spoken:
Hilalian, or Bedouin, dialects were introduced to Morocco following the settlement of several Hilalian and Mâqilian tribes in western Morocco brought by the Berber Almohad king Yaqub Mansur.
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Wikipedia