Senhaja de Srair language
Encyclopedia
The language of the Senhaja de Srair, also Senhaya or Zenaga, is a Northern Berber language spoken in the southern part of the Moroccan
Rif
. It is most closely related to the Atlas languages
, but heavily influenced by the neighboring Riff language (also Berber.)
Contrary to the Ethnologue
, it is not extinct; Harry Stroomer reports that "Senhaja de Srair is alive" (p. c. quoted in Behnstedt 2002). It is apparently not immediately mutually intelligible with Riff, and is spoken only by a small minority among the Senhaja, in the area known as the "Little Senhaja".
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
Rif
Rif
The Rif or Riff is a mainly mountainous region of northern Morocco, with some fertile plains, stretching from Cape Spartel and Tangier in the west to Ras Kebdana and the Melwiyya River in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the river of Wergha in the south.It is part of the...
. It is most closely related to the Atlas languages
Atlas languages
The Atlas languages, or more exactly Moroccan Atlas, also Masmuda, are a subgroup of the Northern Berber languages spoken in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. By mutual intelligibility, they are a single language; however, they are distinct sociolinguistically and are considered separate languages by...
, but heavily influenced by the neighboring Riff language (also Berber.)
Contrary to the Ethnologue
Ethnologue
Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.The Ethnologue...
, it is not extinct; Harry Stroomer reports that "Senhaja de Srair is alive" (p. c. quoted in Behnstedt 2002). It is apparently not immediately mutually intelligible with Riff, and is spoken only by a small minority among the Senhaja, in the area known as the "Little Senhaja".