Sanhaja de Srair language


Senhaja de Srair is a Northern Berber language. It is spoken by the Sanhaja Berbers inhabiting the central part of the Moroccan Rif. It is spoken in the Ketama area west of the Tarifit speaking area in eastern Rif.
Despite its speech area, the Sanhaja language belongs to the Atlas branch of Berber. It has also been influenced by the neighbouring Riffian language.

Name of the language

Besides Senhaja de Srair, there are also several names such as Senhajiyya, Chelha, Chelha n Senhaja, Chelha n Isenhajen, Tamazight n Senhaja, Tasenhajit.

Dialects

Dialects of Senhaja Berber are Beni Ahmed, Beni Bechir, Beni Bounsar, Beni Khennous, Beni Seddat, Ketama, Zarkt, and Taghzout

Writing System

Senhaja de Srair speakers are not used to writing in their language. Unlike some other Berber languages, Tifinagh script is never used in Senhaja de Srair. If the language is written, especially in the case on Computer-mediated communication, Latin script is the most considered one, numbers are sometimes used to represent some sounds:
2 = ’ = ء6 = ṭ = ط
3 = ɛ = ع7 = ḥ = ح
4~8 = ġ = غ9 = q = ق
5 = ḫ = خ

Arabic influences

Based on the Leipzig–Jakarta list, 17% of the vocabulary in Senhaja de Srair is borrowed.

Consonants

Following shows the oppositions in the consonantal system:
VoiceVoiced vs. voiceless consonants
LengthShort vs. long consonants
PharyngealizationNon-pharyngealized vs. pharyngealized consonants
SpirantizationStops vs. fricatives
Assibilationt vs. ț
Labialization

Vowels

There are three peripheral vowels and a central vowel, schwa , written as e. The vowel a is usually realized as , i as , u as , e as .
Following shows the Senhaja vowel system:
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