Palestine

Summary

Official Name

State of Palestine

International Conventions

CDE (2018), CPPDCE (2011), CSICH (2011), ICCPR (2014), UNCRPD (2014)

Population

4,981,000

Principal Languages

Standard Arabic

Literacy Rate

97% (2018 UNESCO)

General References

Fischer and Jastrow 1980

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Palestine is 8. All are living languages. Of these, 4 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 1 is institutional, 2 are developing, 1 is vigorous, 1 is in trouble, and 3 are dying. Also listed are 2 unestablished languages.

Languages

Arabic, Egyptian Spoken arz: Users: 45,700 in Palestine (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Levantine Bedawi Spoken avl: Jericho and Al Aghwar, Jerusalem and Bethlehem governorates, Judean desert, Jordan river and Dead Sea area. Users: 28,300 in Palestine (2019). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc: Users: 14,800 in Palestine (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, South Levantine Spoken ajp: Widespread. Users: 4,000,000 in Palestine (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Palestinian Arabic Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Standard arb: Widespread. Users: 4,040,000 in Palestine (2014 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Armenian, Western hyw: Jerusalem; Ramallah and Al-Bireh: Ramallah. Users: 1,900 in Palestine (2019). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
Domari rmt: Jerusalem governorate; refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza. Users: 1 in Palestine (Matras 2019). Ethnic population: 2,000 (1997 Y. Matras). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Dom, Nawari, Near-Eastern Gypsy Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Dom
Hebrew heb: Users: 804,000 in Palestine (2019). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Canaanite
Samaritan Aramaic sam: Nablus governorate. Users: No known L1 speakers in Palestine. Ethnic population: No ethnic community. Total users in all countries: none known. Status: 9 (Second language only). Alternate Names: Shamerim Autonym: ארמית‎ (Arāmît) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Western
Samaritan Hebrew smp: Nablus governorate. Users: No known L1 speakers in Palestine. Ethnic population: No ethnic community. Total users in all countries: none known. Status: 9 (Second language only). Alternate Names: Samaritan, Shamerim Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Canaanite