Page Type: countryEgypt | Ethnologue

EG

Arab Republic of Egypt

Egypt

Summary

Arab Republic of Egypt
ACHPR (1984), CDE (1962), CPPDCE (2007), CSICH (2005), ICCPR (1982), UNCRPD (2008), UNDRIP (2007)
100,388,000
Egyptian Spoken Arabic, Standard Arabic
74% (2015 World Factbook)
Applegate 1970, Wehr and Cowan 1976
The number of established languages listed for Egypt is 20. All are living languages. Of these, 9 are indigenous and 11 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 6 are developing, 6 are vigorous, 3 are in trouble, and 2 are dying. Also listed are 4 unestablished languages.
Users: 5,000 in Egypt (2000 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Amharic-Argobba
Users: 30,000 in Egypt (2018). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Scattered. Users: 1,810,000 in Egypt (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Isma’iliyah, As Suways, and Bur Sa’id governorates: parts of Red Sea coast east bank, almost to south border; Janub Sina’, Shamal Sina’, and Sinai governorates: mainly Bedouin regions. Users: 1,100,000 in Egypt (2019). Total users in all countries: 2,430,300. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Levantine Bedawi Arabic, Levantine Bedawi Spoken Arabic Autonym: بدوي‎ (Badawi) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Widespread. Users: 67,000,000 in Egypt (2019). Total users in all countries: 70,272,520. Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Lower Egypt Arabic, Massry, Modern Egyptian Language, Normal Egyptian Arabic Autonym: عامي‎ (Ammi), مصري‎ (Masri) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Scattered. Users: 1,610,000 in Egypt (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Scattered. Users: 1,710,000 in Egypt (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Users: 173,000 in Egypt (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Widespread: Al-Minya governorate and south to Sudan border; Red Sea area; Cairo area. Users: 24,100,000 (2019). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Saidi Arabic, Upper Egypt Arabic Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Widespread. Users: 65,500,000 in Egypt (2015 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2014, Constitution, Article 2). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Users: 1,810,000 in Egypt (2019). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Users: 172,000 in Egypt (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Al Buhayrah, Al Iskandariyah, and Matruh governorates; Al Fayyum, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Wadi al Jadid, and Bani Suwayf governorates: western oases. Bedouin regions along Mediterranean coast, west to Libya border. Users: 402,000 in Egypt (2019). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Bedawi, Libyan Spoken Arabic, Maghrebi Arabic, Sulaimitian Arabic Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Major cities. Users: 6,000 in Egypt (Zohry 2005). Status: 7 (Shifting). Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
Al Bahr al Ahmar Governorate; north of Marsa al ’Alam south to administrative boundary on Red Sea east coast. Users: 77,000 in Egypt (1993). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Bedawi, Bedàwie, Beja, Bidhaawyeet, Tu Bdhaawi, Tubdhaawi Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, North
Scattered, used liturgically in Coptic Orthodox and Coptic Catholic churches. Users: No known L1 speakers. Ethnic population: No ethnic community. Status: 9 (Second language only). Autonym: ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ‎ (timetremənkʰēmi) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Egyptian
Scattered. Users: 500,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 300,000–600,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Another estimate: 474,000 (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: ESL, Egypt Sign Language, LIM, Lughat al-Ishaara al-Masriya, Lughat al-‘Ishāra al-Maṣriyya Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Users: 35,119,000 in Egypt, all users. L1 users: 19,000 in Egypt (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. L2 users: 35,100,000 (Ramaswami et al 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Users: 3,000,000 in Egypt (Beck et al 2018), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Alexandria and Cairo. Users: A few elderly speakers in Cairo and Alexandria (2014). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
Al Wadi al Jadid governorate: scattered in various cities; Aswan governorate: Lake Nasser northern tip, and near Kom Ombo, 50 km north of Aswan city. Users: 50,000 (2014), decreasing. Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Kenuz, Kenuzi, Kenzi, Kunuz, Kunuz Nubian, Kunuzi Autonym: Mattokki Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Northern (k languages), Nubian, Central
Aswan governorate: Kom Ombo area; shares area with Mattokki [xnz]; scattered in cities. Users: 402,000 in Egypt (2019). Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Fadicca, Fadicha, Fadija, Fedicca, Fedija, Fiadidja, Fiadidja-Mahas, Fiyadikkya, Mahas, Mahas-Fiadidja, Sukot Classification: Nilo-Saharan, Satellite-Core, Core, Eastern Sudanic, Northern (k languages), Nubian, Northern
Matruh governorate: northwest desert, Siwa oasis; several isolated villages in Gara oasis. Users: 20,000 in Egypt (2013). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Oasis Berber, Sioua, Siwa, Zenati, ijlaan n siwaan Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Eastern, Siwa
Users: 43,000 in Egypt (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish
    [arb] 1 (National). Statutory national language (2014, Constitution, Article 2). 65,500,000 in Egypt (2015 SIL), all users.
    [eng] 4 (Educational). 35,119,000 in Egypt, all users. L1 users: 19,000 in Egypt (2020 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. L2 users: 35,100,000 (Ramaswami et al 2012).
    [afb] 5* (Dispersed). 1,610,000 in Egypt (2019).
    [arq] 5* (Dispersed). 1,810,000 in Egypt (2019).
    [fra] 5* (Dispersed). 3,000,000 in Egypt (Beck et al 2018), L2 users.
    [ary] 5* (Dispersed). 1,710,000 in Egypt (2019).
    [bej] 5* (Developing). 77,000 in Egypt (1993).
    [esl] 5 (Developing). 500,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 300,000–600,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Another estimate: 474,000 (2014 IMB).
    [aao] 6a* (Vigorous). 30,000 in Egypt (2018).
    [aec] 6a* (Vigorous). 24,100,000 (2019).
    [apd] 6a* (Vigorous). 1,810,000 in Egypt (2019).
    [avl] 6a* (Vigorous). 1,100,000 in Egypt (2019). Total users in all countries: 2,430,300.
    [siz] 6a* (Vigorous). 20,000 in Egypt (2013).
    [ayl] 6a* (Vigorous). 402,000 in Egypt (2019).
    [fia] 7 (Shifting). 402,000 in Egypt (2019).
    [hyw] 7 (Shifting). 6,000 in Egypt (Zohry 2005).
    [xnz] 7 (Shifting). 50,000 (2014), decreasing.

Egypt and Libya

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile