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Shilha (c-eniconˈʃɪlhə; native Taclḥit, variously transcribed 'Tachelhit, Tachelhiyt, Tachlhit; also Tamazirt n Suss, Moroccan Arabic: Shelha) is one of the large Berber languages with about 3 million speakers, and with about 8 million speakers according to the INALCO linguistic institute in France. Shilha is spoken in High-Atlas Morocco an area ranging from the northern slopes of the High-Atlas to the southern slopes of the Anti-Atlas, the Great Canyon, bounded to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The northern limit of the Shilha area is difficult to pinpoint because of a smooth transition into Southern Middle Atlas. The High-Atlas Mountains, plains and valleys, and the Great Canyons region is central to the Shilha area, therefore the Shilha people are often called Ichelin-Berber or Chleuh, even though it stretches to surrounding regions well outside of High-Atlas. There are also Shilha speakers of Morocco origin mainly in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, United States, and Canada. Shilha is known for its rich oral literature. Literature written in the Arabic script has been produced from the second half of sixteenth century on; Muhammad Awzal (ca. 1680-1749) was the most prolific poet of the Shilha literary tradition. |