Languages of Libya

The official language of Libya is Modern Standard Arabic. Most residents speak one of the varieties of Arabic as a first language, most prominently Libyan Arabic, but also Egyptian Arabic and Tunisian Arabic.

Languages of Libya
Arabic sign at the grave of Sahabi Ruwaifa Al-Ansari
OfficialStandard Arabic
VernacularLibyan Arabic, other varieties of Arabic
Minorityvarious Berber languages, Domari, Tedaga, Turkish, Greek
ForeignItalian, French, English
SignedLibyan Sign Language
Keyboard layout
Ethnolinguistic map of Libya

Major language

Arabic

The official language of Libya is Arabic.[1] The local Libyan Arabic variety is the common spoken vernacular.

Minority languages

Berber

Various Berber languages are also spoken, including Tamahaq, Ghadamès, Nafusi, Zuwara, Yefren, Fezzan,[2] Kufra and Awjilah.[3] Both Berber and Arabic languages belong to the wider Afroasiatic family.

The most significant berber speaking group, the Nafusi, is concentrated in the Tripolitanian region.[4] Berber languages are also spoken in some cases, including Ghadamès, Awjilah, and formerly Sawknah. Tamahaq is spoken by the Tuareg people.

Libya's former Head of State Muammar Gaddafi denied the existence of Berbers as a separate ethnicity, and called Berbers a "product of colonialism" created by the West to divide Libya. The Berber language was not recognized or taught in schools, and for years it was forbidden in Libya to give children Berber names.[5][6]

During the First Libyan Civil War, the National Transitional Council broadcast in Tamazight for two hours a day.[7]

Domari

The Domari, an Indo-Iranian language spoken by the Dom people (ca. 33,000 speakers).

Tedega

Tedaga, a Saharan language is spoken by the previously nomadic Teda people. The exact number of Teda is unknown.[8]

Turkish

A minority of Turkish speakers can be found in Libya, most of them belonging to the Kouloughli ethnicity that inhabit cities like Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misrata.

Italian

Italian is spoken in the Italian Libyan community. Number of Italians and Italian speakers has drastically diminished since Libya's declaration of independence and mass repatriation of Italians.

Greek

The Greek language is spoken by an unknown number of speakers in Cyrenaica by some of the descendants of Greek Muslims (locally called Gritlis) who settled in the region at the end of the 19th century.

Coptic

The Coptic language is spoken as a Liturgical Language by the Coptic community in Libya.

Foreign languages

English is a notable foreign language in business and for economical purposes and also spoken by the young generation. English and Italian are used in commerce, due to the large influx of foreigners. [9]

After the Libyan Civil War and the help coming from France, the French language gained popularity among the younger generations. French authorities expressed their interest to encourage the teaching of French in Libya.[10]

References
  1. "Libya" (PDF). 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  2. Endangered Languages Project
  3. "Libya". CIA. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. David Levinson (1998). Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook. Oryx Press. p. 145. ISBN 9781573560191.
  5. "Libya: Gaddafi Rails Against 'No Fly' Attacks and Berbers". allAfrica.com. 20 March 2011.
  6. "Libyan rebels seize western border crossing, as fighting in mountains intensifies". The Washington Post. 21 April 2011.
  7. Smith, Sylvia (31 August 2011). "Flying the flag for North Africa's 'Berber spring'". BBC. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  8. Languages of Libya, Ethnologue
  9. "Libye". www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  10. French FM Acknowledges Youths as Hope for the Future of Libya Archived 2012-09-04 at the Wayback Machine
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