Jijel Arabic
Encyclopedia
Jijel Arabic is a dialect of Arabic
spoken specifically in the Jijel Province
in northeastern Algeria
, but traces of it reach parts of the neighboring provinces of Skikda
and Mila
. It is quite different from all the other Arabic dialects spoken in eastern Algeria and has probably survived into present times because of the geographic enclavement of that mountainous area and the difficulty of terrestrial connections with the rest of the country for centuries.
It is a relic of the pre-Hilalian
Arabic dialects (resulting from the first Arabic invasion in the 7th and 8th centuries) that were once spoken in all the north of Constantine but which were later replaced by Hilalian Bedouin
Arabic that was brought by the second wave of Arab invasions during the 11th century. Pre-Hilalian Arabic dialects remained intact only in a small area around Jijel
while they were heavily mixed with bedouin dialects in the areas of Constantine
, Mila
, Collo
and El Milia
. These pre-Hilalian Arabic dialects have survived also in the Algerian region of Tlemcen
as well as in northern Morocco
and to this day Northern Moroccan Arabic, Tlemcen Arabic, and Jijel Arabic are still very close to one another.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
spoken specifically in the Jijel Province
Jijel Province
Jijel is a province in Algeria in the eastern Mediterranean cost. The capital is Jijel . Taza National Park is there.-Administrative divisions:...
in northeastern Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, but traces of it reach parts of the neighboring provinces of Skikda
Skikda
Skikda is a city in north eastern Algeria and a port on the Gulf of Stora, the ancient Sinus Numidicus. It was known as Philippeville until the end of the Algerian War of Independence in 1962...
and Mila
Mila
Mila , is a female name of Slavic Origin. It is a diminutive of Slavic names beginning or ending with Mila which derived from the element Мил Mil meaning "gracious, dear".- Notable people with this name :First...
. It is quite different from all the other Arabic dialects spoken in eastern Algeria and has probably survived into present times because of the geographic enclavement of that mountainous area and the difficulty of terrestrial connections with the rest of the country for centuries.
It is a relic of the pre-Hilalian
Banu Hilal
The Banu Hilal were a confederation of Arabian Bedouin tribes that migrated from Upper Egypt into North Africa in the 11th century, having been sent by the Fatimids to punish the Zirids for abandoning Shiism. Other authors suggest that the tribes left the grasslands on the upper Nile because of...
Arabic dialects (resulting from the first Arabic invasion in the 7th and 8th centuries) that were once spoken in all the north of Constantine but which were later replaced by Hilalian Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
Arabic that was brought by the second wave of Arab invasions during the 11th century. Pre-Hilalian Arabic dialects remained intact only in a small area around Jijel
Jijel
Jijel is the capital of Jijel Province in northeastern Algeria. It is flanked by the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Corniche Jijelienne, and has an estimated population of 148,000 inhabitants .Jijel is the administrative and trade centre for a region specializing in cork processing, leather...
while they were heavily mixed with bedouin dialects in the areas of Constantine
Constantine, Algeria
Constantine is the capital of Constantine Province in north-eastern Algeria. It was the capital of the same-named French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about 80 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of Rhumel river...
, Mila
Mila
Mila , is a female name of Slavic Origin. It is a diminutive of Slavic names beginning or ending with Mila which derived from the element Мил Mil meaning "gracious, dear".- Notable people with this name :First...
, Collo
Collo
Collo is the capital, and one of three municipalities, of Collo district in Skikda Province, Algeria. As of 1998, it had a population of 27,800....
and El Milia
El Milia
El Milia is a town and commune in Jijel Province, Algeria. According to the 2009 census it has a population of 80,000....
. These pre-Hilalian Arabic dialects have survived also in the Algerian region of Tlemcen
Tlemcen
Tlemcen is a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is located inland in the center of a region known for its olive plantations and vineyards...
as well as in northern Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and to this day Northern Moroccan Arabic, Tlemcen Arabic, and Jijel Arabic are still very close to one another.