Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Sudan > Zaghawa
Zaghawa
A language of Sudan
ISO 639-3: zag
Population |
75,000 in Sudan (2000 SIL). Population total all countries: 169,000. |
Region |
North, northwest Dar Fur, and scattered south; Kordofan. Also in Chad, Libya. |
Language map |
Sudan
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Alternate names |
Beri, Beri-Aa, Berri, Kebadi, Kuyuk, Merida, Soghaua, Zagaoua, Zagawa, Zauge, Zeggaoua, Zeghawa, Zorhaua |
Dialects |
Wagi (Twer), Kube, Tuba (Bideyat). Wagi is the main dialect in Sudan. Ethnic subgroups are Kobe, Dor, Anka, with slight dialect differences. |
Classification |
Nilo-Saharan, Saharan, Eastern |
Language use |
Also use Sudanese Spoken Arabic [apd]. |
Writing system |
Beria script. Latin script. |
Comments |
Beri is their own name for the people. |
Also spoken in:
Language name |
Zaghawa |
Population |
87,000 in Chad (2006). 3,000 Bideyat. |
Region |
Wadi Fira region, Kobé Department, Iriba Subprefecture; Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti region, Ennedi Est and Ennedi Ouest departments. |
Language map |
Chad, reference number 11
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Alternate names |
Beri, Beri-Aa, Beria, Berri, Kebadi, Kuyuk, Merida, Soghaua, Zagaoua, Zagawa, Zauge, Zeggaoua, Zeghawa, Zorhaua |
Dialects |
Tuer-Gala (Bideyat, Baele, Anna, Awe, Terawia, Beria), Kobe-Kapka, Dirong-Guruf. |
Language use |
Most also use Chadian Spoken Arabic [shu]. |
Comments |
The dialects Bideyat and Zaghawa are sometimes called ‘Beria’ (Beri). Animal husbandry: livestock, hides, butter, salt; agriculturalists. Muslim. |
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Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:
Academic Publications
ANONBY, Erik John; JOHNSON, Eric C., authors. 2001. A sociolinguistic survey of the Zaghawa (Beria) of Chad and Sudan.