Riffian
The Berber variety of the Rif region in northern Morocco. Heavily distinct from other Tamazight varieties in phonology, including a strong final-vowel reduction.
Tashelhit
Also known as: Shilha, Soussian Berber
The Berber variety of the southern Atlas and Souss valley in Morocco. The most numerous Tamazight variety, with a literary tradition going back centuries.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Tashelhit?
Tashelhit is a dialect of the Tamazight language.
Where is Tashelhit spoken?
Tashelhit is primarily spoken in Morocco.
Which region is Tashelhit associated with?
Tashelhit is part of the North Africa region on DialectAtlas.
Is Tashelhit known by other names?
Yes — Tashelhit is also referred to as Shilha, Soussian Berber.
What are the other dialects of Tamazight?
Tamazight also includes Tarifit, Kabyle, Tamasheq, Central Atlas Tamazight, Siwi, Nafusi. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Tamazight dialects
See on the atlas →Taqbaylit
The Berber variety of the Kabylie region in northern Algeria. The most documented and standardised Algerian Tamazight, with a strong written literary tradition.
Tuareg Berber
The Berber variety of the Tuareg confederations across the central Sahara. Written historically in the Tifinagh script, which Tuareg communities have preserved continuously.
Tamazight · Beraber
The Berber variety of the Middle Atlas mountains in central Morocco. Roughly 2.5 million speakers; the basis of much of the standardised Moroccan Tamazight taught in schools.
Siwa Berber
The easternmost surviving Berber language, spoken in the Siwa Oasis of western Egypt. Heavily restructured by Arabic contact; the only Tamazight variety inside Egypt.
Nafusi Berber · Jebel Nafusa
The Berber variety of the Nafusa mountains in north-western Libya. Around 200,000 speakers; one of the few surviving Berber languages inside Libya.
Nearby dialects
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The Berber variety of the Middle Atlas mountains in central Morocco. Roughly 2.5 million speakers; the basis of much of the standardised Moroccan Tamazight taught in schools.
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The Spanish of the Canary Islands. Linguistically a bridge between Andalusian and Caribbean varieties, with shared seseo and weakened final consonants.
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The Berber variety of the Rif region in northern Morocco. Heavily distinct from other Tamazight varieties in phonology, including a strong final-vowel reduction.
843 km away
The Iberian para-Romani variety spoken by the Calé (Gitanos) of Spain and, in related forms, Portugal and southern France. A Romani-derived lexicon is embedded in a Castilian (or Catalan/Portuguese) grammatical frame; the older inflected Iberian Romani is no longer spoken. Caló vocabulary has left a marked imprint on Andalusian Spanish and flamenco.
843 km away
The Spanish of southern Spain, marked by aspiration of /s/, the loss of final consonants, and a strong influence on the formation of Latin American varieties via the Atlantic ports.