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Tamajaq, Tawallammat

A language of Niger

ISO 639-3: ttq

Population  450,000 in Niger (1998). Population total all countries: 640,000.
Region  Eastern dialect in central, Tahoua area from Ingal to Mali border; western in west, north and northwest of Niamey. Also in Mali, Nigeria.
Language map  Niger
Alternate names   Amazigh, Tahoua Tamajeq, Tahoua, Tamachek, Tamashekin, Tamasheq, Tewellemet, Tomacheck, Touareg, Tourage, Tuareg
Dialects  Tawallammat Tan Dannag (Ioullemmeden), Tawallammat Tan Ataram.
Classification  Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Tamasheq, Southern
A member of macrolanguage Tamashek [tmh] (Mali).
Language use  National language. Home, market. All ages. Positive language attitude.
Language development  About 16 primary schools have experimental curriculum taught in Tamajaq for the first 3 years, gradually introducing French until it becomes the primary language of instruction. Taught in primary schools. Radio programs. Bible portions: 1979–1985.
Writing system  Latin script. Tifinagh (Berber) script, called Shifinagh.
Comments  Pastoralists; agriculturalists. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Mali

Language name   Tamajaq
Population  190,000 in Mali (1991).
Region  East Mali, Menaka, and Gao regions.
Language map  Mali
Alternate names  Tahoua, Tajag, Tamajeq, Tamashekin, Tamasheq, Tomacheck, “Tourage” , “Tuareg”
Dialects  Tawallammet Tan Dannag (Ioullemmeden), Tawallammat Tan Ataram.
Comments  Muslim.
 

Nigeria

Language name   Tamajaq, Tawallammat
Population  Few in Nigeria.
Region  Far northwest Sokoto state.
Alternate names  Azbinawa, Buzu, Tahoua Tamajeq, Tamasheq, Tomacheck, Tuareg
Dialects  Ioullemmeden.
Comments  Seasonal migrants and laborers. No resident villages. It may be the eastern rather than the western dialect in Nigeria. Muslim.