Page Type: languageChenoua | Ethnologue

CNU ISO 639-3

Chenoua

A language of Algeria

ISO 639
cnu
Alternate Names
Chenoui, Haqbaylit̠, Shenwa
Population
76,300 (2004 J. Leclerc). Beni Menacer: 61,000; Chenoui: 15,300 (2004 J. Leclerc).
Location:
Aïn Defla province: north of Khemis; Chlef province: Mount Bissa area; Tipasa province: generally Mount Chenoua area; Mount Chenoua area (Chenoui dialect), south and west (Beni Menacer dialect); Tacheta forest area, and Beni Haoua village (Djebel Bissa dialect).
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern
Dialects
Beni Menacer (Chleuh, Tachelhit, Tamenracit), Chenoui, Djebel Bissa, Tamazight de l’Atlas blidéen (Beni-Salah). Lexical similarity: 77% with Tachawit [shy], 76% with Amazigh (Kabyle) [kab].
Language Use
Mainly rural village use. Some parents teach children Arabic for educational advantage. These youth then learn Chenoua from elders at an older age. Some of all ages. Also use Algerian Spoken Arabic [arq], with shift in larger towns and cities.
Language Development
Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts.
Other Comments
Muslim.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Aïn Defla province: north of Khemis; Chlef province: Mount Bissa area; Tipasa province: generally Mount Chenoua area; Mount Chenoua area (Chenoui dialect), south and west (Beni Menacer dialect); Tacheta forest area, and Beni Haoua village (Djebel Bissa dialect).