Cypriot Arabic

Cypriot Arabic
Cypriot Maronite Arabic
Σάννα · Sanna
Native toCyprus
RegionKormakitis and urban areas in the south
EthnicityMaronite Cypriots, Lebanese Cypriots
SpeakersNo L1 speakers in the south (2011)[1]
9,800 total speakers (2013 UNSD)[2]
Greek and Latin
Arabic script (historical)
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-3acy
Glottologcypr1248
ELPCypriot Spoken Arabic
Linguasphere12-AAC-ehx
  Cypriot Arabic
Kormakitis is located in Cyprus
Kormakitis
Kormakitis
Location of Kormakitis in Cyprus, former stronghold of the language

Cypriot Arabic (Arabic: العربية القبرصية), also known as Cypriot Maronite Arabic or Sanna,[3] is a moribund variety of Arabic spoken by the Maronite community of Cyprus. Formerly speakers were mostly situated in Kormakitis, but following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the majority relocated to the south and dispersed,[4] leading to the decline of the language.[5] Traditionally bilingual in Cypriot Greek, as of some time prior to 2000, all remaining speakers of Cypriot Arabic were over 30 years of age.[6] A 2011 census reported that, of the 3,656 Maronite Cypriots in Republic of Cyprus-controlled areas, none declared Cypriot Arabic as their first language.[1]

  1. ^ a b Council of Europe (2014), p. 4.
  2. ^ Cypriot Arabic at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  3. ^ "Cyprus Maronite Minority Sees Chance to Save Ancient Language".
  4. ^ Versteegh (2001), p. 212.
  5. ^ Hadjioannou, Tsiplakou & Kappler (2011), p. 507.
  6. ^ Cypriot Arabic at Ethnologue (13th ed., 1996).

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