What is the national language of Egypt today?
25/04/2017 · Languages Spoken In Egypt Egyptian Arabic . Although Modern Standard Arabic is the official language, Egyptian Arabic is the most widely spoken among the languages spoken in Egypt. It is also the de facto national language in the country. The language boasts 68% of speakers, and it is widely used in literature such as plays and novels and media forms such as …
Is Arabic spoken in Egypt?
The official language of the Arab Republic of Egypt is MSA (Modern Standard Arabic). It is the official language in almost all Arab countries. And as in all Arab countries, no one speaks it in everyday life. Egyptians speak their own dialects. Most media outlets go out (broadcast) on MSA.
What is the Middle Egyptian language?
A number of languages can be heard in Egypt but the official language is the Modern Standard Arabic. Other languages spoken include Egyptian Arabic which is spoken by 68% of the population, Sa'idi Arabic, Domari, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic, Siwi, Nobiin and Beja among others.
What was the first language in ancient Egypt?
Languages of Egypt. The official language of Egypt is Arabic, and most Egyptians speak one of several vernacular dialects of that language. As is the case in other Arab countries, the spoken vernacular differs greatly from the literary language. Modern literary Arabic (often called Modern Standard Arabic or al-fuṣḥā, “clear” Arabic), which ...
What language does Egypt speak now?
ArabicThe official language of Egypt is Arabic, and most Egyptians speak one of several vernacular dialects of that language. As is the case in other Arab countries, the spoken vernacular differs greatly from the literary language.
Is English an official language in Egypt?
Literary Arabic is the official language and the most widely written. The Coptic language is used primarily by Egyptian Copts and it is the liturgical language of Coptic Christianity....Languages of EgyptForeignEnglish French SpanishSignedEgyptian Sign LanguageHistorical language(s)Ancient Egyptian Meroitic4 more rows
Is English spoken in Cairo?
Cairo – Major city and tourist destination, so no problems using English in major central and tourist areas and places like museums. Taxi drivers and service personnel will tend to speak it. Also a small expat community who can help you out.
Is Egyptian Arabic written?
Writing. Egyptian Arabic is rarely written, since Modern Standard Arabic is normally used for written communication. However, Egyptian Arabic is occasionally used for writing novels, plays, poems as well as comics, captions in cartoons, transcriptions of spoken language, advertising, and in some newspapers.
What is the official language of Egypt?
Modern Standard Arabic . Egypt’s official language is Modern Standard Arabic, which is used in most written documents and schools. However, Modern Standard Arabic mostly describes the literary form of Arabic, which is actually a macrolanguage composed of multiple distinct vernacular dialects.
How many languages are spoken in Egypt?
According to Ethnologue, there are 16 individual living languages spoken in Egypt. Among these: the Nobiin language of the Nubian people, the Bedawi language (spoken mainly by the Bedouin people), Mattokki and Siwi. Egypt also has its own sign language.
When did Arabic come to Egypt?
Arabic first came to Egypt during the Arab occupation of the 7th century, and it blended with existing local Semitic languages like Syriac, Berber and Assyrian, creating the basis for some of the other types of Arabic spoken in Egypt today.
What languages do Egyptians speak?
Additionally, educated Egyptians tend to speak English and/or French as second languages. There are more than 3 million French speakers in Egypt.
Where did the Arabic language come from?
Modern Standard Arabic came from Classical (medieval) Arabic, and it has a grammar and syntax that’s remained largely fixed since the 7th century.
Is spoken language a lingua franca?
Additionally, it serves as a living reminder that spoken languages can vary drastically from their written standard versions, with the spoken languages more accurately reflecting regional differences and the written standard serving as a sort of official lingua franca that unifies the whole.
What language is spoken in Egypt?
The primary spoken language and official language of Egypt is Arabic. That’s the short answer. The long answer is a little more complicated, but also a lot more interesting!
The official language of Egypt
The official language of Egypt is Modern Standard Arabic, the formal language that is used in books, newspapers, scripted speeches, and so on. This is the form of Arabic that is used across the Arab World, from Morocco in the West to Iraq in the east.
The spoken language of Egypt
In everyday communication the majority of Egyptians speak Egyptian Arabic , a spoken dialect (well, a group of dialects) that is quite different from Modern Standard Arabic.
The Coptic language
The Coptic language is a direct descendant of the Ancient Egyptian language which was written in hieroglyphics. Coptic is no longer spoken as a native language, but it is used as a liturgical language by the Coptic church. Coptic people make up about 10% of the population of Egypt, but today they speak Arabic as their native language.
What language did ancient Egypt speak?
Languages Spoken In Egypt. The language of ancient Egypt was among the first written languages in the world. Modern Standard Arabic is the official language of the African country of Egypt and is used in most written documents and taught in schools across the country.
How many people speak Sudanese Arabic?
It is spoken by 1.6% of the population in Egypt. Sudanese Arabic is most prevalent among Sudanese immigrants, and it is linguistically distinct from Egyptian Arabic. Egypt is home to the largest number of Sudanese immigrants and refugees than any other African country.
Where did Arabic originate?
The language first developed in the Nile Delta near Cairo, where the first Islamic Capital was located. The variety of Arabic was the language spoken by the Arab invaders during the Muslim conquest of Egypt in the 7th century. The mixture fused with the locally spoken Coptic language and other languages such as Turkish, Ottoman, French, and Italian.
What languages did Egypt colonize?
Colonization of Egypt facilitated the spread of western languages such as English and French, which are associated with ...
Where is the Nobiin language from?
At a prevalence of 0.3% is the Nobiin language which is native to the Nubian people, concentrated along the banks of River Nile in Egypt and Sudan. The language has been classified as threatened due to the rapid urbanization and consequent spread of other common languages.
What languages did the colonization of Egypt facilitate?
Colonization of Egypt facilitated the spread of western languages such as English and French, which are associated with the elite and affluent in modern Egypt. The Languages spoken in Egypt are discussed below:
What is the most widely spoken language in Egypt?
Egyptian Arabic. Although Modern Standard Arabic is the official language, Egyptian Arabic is the most widely spoken among the languages spoken in Egypt. It is also the de facto national language in the country.
What language is the Coptic language?
Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Coptic letters. The Egyptian language (Egyptian: 𓂋𓏺𓈖 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖, Middle Egyptian pronunciation: [ˈraʔ n̩ˈku.mat], Coptic: ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ) is an Afro-Asiatic language which was spoken in ancient Egypt.
How long has the Middle Egyptian language been around?
Middle Egyptian. Middle Egyptian was spoken for about 700 years, beginning around 2000 BC. As the classical variant of Egyptian, Middle Egyptian is the best-documented variety of the language, and has attracted the most attention by far from Egyptology.
Which is the oldest Afroasiatic language?
Although Egyptian is the oldest Afroasiatic language documented in written form, its morphological repertoire is very different from that of the rest of the Afroasiatic languages in general, and Semitic languages in particular.
When did the spoken language become Coptic?
The spoken language had evolved into Demotic by the time of Classical Antiquity, and finally into Coptic by the time of Christianisation. Spoken Coptic was almost extinct by the 17th century, but it remains in use as the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.
Is Egyptian a monoradical language?
The Egyptian language has many biradical and perhaps monoradical roots, in contrast to the Semitic preference for tri radical roots . Egyptian is probably more conservative, and Semitic likely underwent later regularizations converting roots into the triradical pattern.
What is the Egyptian language?
The Egyptian language belongs to the Afroasiatic language family. Among the typological features of Egyptian that are typically Afroasiatic are its fusional morphology, nonconcatenative morphology, a series of emphatic consonants, a three-vowel system /a i u/, nominal feminine suffix * -at, nominal m-, adjectival * -ī and characteristic personal ...
How long did the Coptic language last?
It survived into the medieval period. By the 16th century Coptic was dwindling rapidly due to the persecution of Coptic Christians under the Mamluks. It probably survived in the Egyptian countryside as a spoken language for several centuries after that.
What is the official language of Egypt?
A number of languages can be heard in Egypt but the official language is the Modern Standard Arabic. Other languages spoken include Egyptian Arabic which is spoken by 68% of the population, Sa'idi Arabic, Domari, Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic, Siwi, Nobiin and Beja among others.
How many people are in Egypt?
Egypt has more than 90 million citizens making it the most populated nation in the north of Africa and also in the Arab world. It is the third most populated country in Africa after Nigeria and Ethiopia, and the fifteenth most populated in the globe.
Where is the majority of Egypt's population located?
The larger areas of the Sahara Desert, which make up the majority of the country’s territory are not that populated. Almost half of the citizens reside in urban regions, with the majority of them spreading across the heavily inhabited towns of Cairo, Egypt’s capital city, Alexandria, and other big towns located in the Nile Delta.
Is Egypt a country?
Egypt is officially referred to as the Arab Republic of Egypt and it links the northeast region of Africa with the Middle East. This is the only Eurafrasian country in the world and most of its territory is within the Nile Valley. Egypt is a Mediterranean nation and it is bordered by Israel and the Gaza Strip to the northeast.
What is the modern standard of Arabic?
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in Egypt. Drawings and writing on Esna, Egypt Temple Wall, Source This dialect can at times be referred to as Literary Arabic or Modern Arabic. This is the literary and standardized form of Arabic that is used in official speech and writing. MSA is considered to be the literary standard in North Africa, ...
Where did Arabic originate?
Egyptian Arabic was developed in the Nile Delta in the Lower Egypt region near Cairo. It was derived from the spoken Arabic which found its way to Egypt during the Muslim conquest in the 7th-century AD.
Is Egypt a Mediterranean country?
Egypt is a Mediterranean nation and it is bordered by Israel and the Gaza Strip to the northeast. The Red Sea borders it to the south and east, Libya borders it to the west, to the south by Sudan, and to the east by the Gulf of Aqaba. Egypt has more than 90 million citizens making it the most populated nation in the north ...
What language do Egyptians speak?
Languages of Egypt. The official language of Egypt is Arabic, and most Egyptians speak one of several vernacular dialects of that language. As is the case in other Arab countries, the spoken vernacular differs greatly from the literary language. Modern literary Arabic (often called Modern Standard Arabic or al-fuṣḥā, “clear” Arabic), ...
Which desert has a dialect?
One of these is the dialect of the Bedouin of the Eastern Desert and of the Sinai Peninsula; the Bedouin of the Western Desert constitute a separate dialect group. Upper Egypt has its own vernacular, markedly different from that of Cairo.
Where is the University of Al-Azhar?
The country has long been a centre of Islamic scholarship, and al-Azhar University —located in Cairo —is widely considered the world’s preeminent institution of Islamic learning. Likewise, many Muslims, even those outside Egypt, consider al-Azhar’s sheikhs to be among the highest religious authorities in the Sunni world.
What is the border between Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea?
The country has a coastline at the Mediterranean Sea in north, and the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea in east. It is bordered by Libya in west, the Palestinian territory (Gaza Strip) and Israel in north east, and Sudan in south. Egypt shares maritime borders with Cyprus, Greece, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
Which dynasty built the pyramids?
The pyramids at Giza (near Cairo), which were built in the fourth dynasty, testify the power of the pharaonic religion and state. Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world. Nominally independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II.
When did Egypt become independent?
Modern Egypt became independent in 1922. From 1958 until 1961 Egypt was united with Syria as the United Arab Republic. The Arab Republic of Egypt (the official name) covers an area of 1 million km², this is almost twice the size of France or more than twice the size of the U.S. State of California.
Who was the ruler of Egypt in 3100 B.C.?
Country Profile. Background: In about 3100 B.C., Egypt was united under a ruler known as Mena, or Menes, who inaugurated the 30 pharaonic dynasties into which Egypt's ancient history is divided -- the Old and the Middle Kingdoms and the New Empire.
Is Egypt a media?
Today, the Egypt state is a major force in the media and runs many TV and radio stations, websites, newspapers and magazines. But most pro-Islamist media have been closed, or broadcast now from abroad. Press. State Information Service SIS.
What is the capital of Egypt?
Capital and largest city is Cairo. Spoken language are modern Standard Arabic, colloquial language is the Egyptian-Arabic dialect. Egypt is a country with a predominantly Muslim population, about 87% of Egyptians are Sunni Muslim. Islam religion controls many aspects of social life and is endorsed by law.
When did Hosni Mubarak rule Egypt?
Hosni Mubarak ruled the country since 14 October 1981. The former Egyptian politician and military commander was ousted after 18 days of demonstrations during the what is today known as the 2011 Egyptian revolution. (Source: various sources) Egypt is a member state of the League of Arab States. Official Name:
What is the oldest language in the world?
The ancient Egyptian language is the oldest indigenous language and considered to be a branch of the Afro-Asiatic languages plus it is related to the Berber and other Semitic languages such as Arabic, Amharic, and Hebrew. It is one of the oldest recorded languages known alongside Sumerian. Its first known records date back to the mid-3rd millennium BC during the old kingdom of Egypt in 3400 BC, it was in use in the form of demotic and until the 17th century in the middle ages in the form of Coptic. The language was accompanied by hieroglyphs which became the official writing system. The national language of the modern –day Egypt has become Egyptian Arabic which has taken over after the Muslim conquest in the 7th century.
Why is the Egyptian language called Classical?
It became known as Classical Egyptian as it was used to create a variety of textual writings in hieroglyphics and hieratic scripts that include various funerary texts like the coffin texts and wisdom texts that act as a guide on how any person can lead a life symbolizes the ancient Egyptian philosophical worldview. It was also used to tell the adventurous tales of certain individuals, medical and scientific texts such as Edwin Smith papyrus and the poetic texts or certain ancient Egyptian gods or ancient Egyptian pharaohs. The language was so powerful and very common within the public; the Egyptian dialect began to change to match the classical middle Egyptian. The grammatical structure of this language doesn’t differ much from the language of the old kingdom.
Overview
Official language
Literary Arabic is the official language of Egypt, which is the liturgical language of Islam, the majority religion and state religion of Egypt.
Main spoken language
Egyptian Arabic is the commonly spoken language, based on the dialect of Cairo, and is occasionally written in Arabic script, or in Arabic chat alphabet mostly on new communication services.
Of the many varieties of Arabic, Egyptian Arabic is the most widely understood first dialect in the Middle East-North Africa, probably due to the influence of Egyptian cinemaand music industry thr…
Minority languages
In southern Egypt, Saidi Arabic is the main spoken language for most people.
In the Upper Nile Valley, around Kom Ombo and Aswan, there are about 300,000 speakers of Nubian languages, mainly Nobiin, but also Kenuzi-Dongola.
A Bedouin Sinai minority speaks a variety of Bedouin Arabic mostly in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt's Asian lands.
Sign languages
The only sign language known to be used in Egypt is Egyptian Sign Language. It is known to be used in Alexandria and Cairo, and possibly other regions. Regional variation is reported anecdotally but not documented.
Foreign languages
Most educated people in Egypt study English at school. There are also many English language universities in Egypt, the BUE (British University in Egypt), the FUE (Future University in Egypt), Nile University, the AUC (American University in Cairo) and more. English is the most widely used language in tourism. Nowadays, the majority of the road signs in Egypt are written both in Arabic an…
Historical languages
Other Egyptian languages (also known as Copto-Egyptian) consist of ancient Egyptian and Coptic, and form a separate branch among the family of Afro-Asiatic languages. The Egyptian language is among the first written languages, and is known from hieroglyphic inscriptions preserved on monuments and sheets of papyrus. The Coptic language, the only extant descendant of Egyptian, is today the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
External links
• Ethnologue page on "Languages of Egypt"
• PanAfriL10n page on Egypt
• Linguistic situation in Egypt (in French)
• Egyptian Language History
The Official Language of Egypt
- Egypt’s official language is Modern Standard Arabic, which is used in most written documents and schools. However, Modern Standard Arabic mostly describes the literary form of Arabic, which is actually a macrolanguage composed of multiple distinct vernacular dialects. In other words, it’s the written standard for a group of similar dialects that are, for the most part, mutuall…
The Spoken Language of Egypt
Minority Languages of Egypt
The Coptic Language
Overview
- In everyday communication the majority of Egyptians speak Egyptian Arabic, a spoken dialect (well, a group of dialects) that is quite different from Modern Standard Arabic. The most popular variety of Egyptian Arabic is the dialect of the capital city Cairo, which for many decades was the most common form of Arabic spoken in movies and music because Cairo was the center of the …
Classification
- In Upper Egypt there are not only speakers of Sa’idi Arabic, but also of Nubian languages, which are completely separate from Arabic. There are around 300,000 speakers of Nubian languages in Egypt, in particular Nobiin. In the area of the Siwa Oasis near the Libyan border, a Berber language known as Siwi Berberis spoken. Travellers visiting the beautiful Siwa Oasis can hear the sounds …
History
- The Coptic language isa direct descendant of the Ancient Egyptian languagewhich was written in hieroglyphics. Coptic is no longer spoken as a native language, but it is used as a liturgical language by the Coptic church. Coptic people make up about 10% of the population of Egypt, but today they speak Arabic as their native language.
Dialects
The Egyptian language or Ancient Egyptian (Ancient Egyptian: 𓂋𓏺𓈖 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 r n km.t Middle Egyptian pron.: [ˈraʔ n̩ˈku.mat]; Coptic: ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ di metremǹkēmi [di.mæt.ɾæm.ən.kɪ.mi]) is an Afro-Asiatic language which was spoken in ancient Egypt. Its attestation stretches over an extraordinarily long time, from the Old Egyptian stage (mid-4th millennium BC, Old Kingdom of Egypt). Its earliest known complete written sentence has been dated to about 2690 BC, which …
Writing systems
The Egyptian language belongs to the Afroasiatic language family. Among the typological features of Egyptian that are typically Afroasiatic are its fusional morphology, nonconcatenative morphology, a series of emphatic consonants, a three-vowel system /a i u/, nominal feminine suffix *-at, nominal m-, adjectival *-ī and characteristic personal verbal affixes. Of the other Afroasiatic branches, linguists have variously suggested that the Egyptian language shares its greatest affin…
Phonology
The Egyptian language is conventionally grouped into six major chronological divisions:
• Archaic Egyptian (before 2600 BC), the reconstructed language of the Early Dynastic Period,
• Old Egyptian (c. 2600 – 2000 BC), the language of the Old Kingdom,
Morphology
Most hieroglyphic Egyptian texts are written in a literary prestige register rather than the vernacular speech variety of their author. As a result, dialectical differences are not apparent in written Egyptian until the adoption of the Coptic alphabet. Nevertheless, it is clear that these differences existed before the Coptic period. In one Late Egyptian letter (dated c. 1200 BC), a scribe jokes that his colleague's writing is incoherent like “the speech of a Delta man with a man of Elephantine.”
Syntax
Most surviving texts in the Egyptian language are written on stone in hieroglyphs. The native name for Egyptian hieroglyphic writing is zẖꜣ n mdw-nṯr ("writing of the gods' words"). In antiquity, most texts were written on perishable papyrus in hieratic and (later) demotic. There was also a form of cursive hieroglyphs, used for religious documents on papyrus, such as the Book of the Dead of the Twentieth Dynasty; it was simpler to write than the hieroglyphs in stone inscriptions, but it was n…