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'{{Languages of |country=Iraq |official=[[Standard Arabic|(Standard) Arabic]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] |regional=[[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]], [[South Azeri language|South Azeri]] (referred to as respectively "Syriac" and "Turkmen" in the constitution) |foreign=[[English language|English]], [[German language|German]] |minority=[[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]], [[Chaldean Neo-Aramaic]], [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]], [[South Azeri language|South Azeri]] |main=[[Iraqi Arabic]] <!-- not in infobox |ancient=[[Sumerian language|Sumerian]], [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] (includes Assyrian and Babylonian), [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] --> }} There nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne3fgdfbgffrgdsd'', but [[Iraqi Arabic]] is by far the most widely spoken in the country. ==Contemporary languages== [[Arabic language|Arabic]] is the majority language, [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] is spoken by approximately 20%, [[South Azeri language|South Azeri]] (called "Turkmen" locally) is spoken by 5% - 10% of people,<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_37_16/ai_65913589/pg_2/?tag=content;col1</ref><ref>http://www.unpo.org/article/7878</ref> the Ethnic Turcomans, [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]] is spoken by 3% - 5% of people, mainly Ethnic Assyrian Christians. [[Mandaic language|Mandaic]] (and other [[Neo-Aramaic]] varieties), [[Shabaki language|Shabaki]], [[Armenian language|Armenian]], Roma and [[Persian language|Persian]] are spoken by small numbers of between 25,000 and 100,000 each. There may be a few [[Chechen language|Chechen]], [[Georgian language|Georgian]] and speakers of other Caucasian languages also. Arabic, Kurdish, Persian and South Azeri are written with versions of the [[Arabic script]], the Neo-Aramaic languages in the [[Syriac script]] and Armenian is written in the [[Armenian script]]. ===Official languages=== Prior to the invasion in 2003, [[Arabic language|Arabic]] was the sole official language. Since the new [[Constitution of Iraq]] approved in June 2004, both Arabic and [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] are official languages<ref>Constitution of Iraq, Article 4 (1st)</ref> while [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]] and [[South Azeri language|South Azeri]] (referred to as respectively "Syriac" and "Turkmen" in the constitution) are recognized regional languages.<ref>Constitution of Iraq, Article 4 (4th)</ref> In addition, any region or province may declare other languages official if a majority of the population approves in a general referendum.<ref>Constitution of Iraq, Article 4 (5th)</ref> ==History== The language with the longest recorded period of use in Iraq is [[Aramaic language|Aramaic]], which has a written tradition dating back for 3200 years or more and survives today in its descendants, the [[Neo-Aramaic languages]]. The earliest recorded languages of Iraq were [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] and [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] (including ancient Assyrian-Babylonian). These languages are now extinct. Sumerian was displaced by Akkadian by 1700 BCE, and Akkadian was displaced by Aramaic gradually, from 1200 BCE to 100 CE. Sumerian and Akkadian (including all Assyrian & Babylonian dialects) were written in the [[cuneiform script]] from 3300 BCE onwards. The latest positively identified Akkadian text comes from the first century CE.<ref>John Huehnergard & Christopher Woods, 2004 "Akkadian and Eblaite", ''The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the World's Ancient Languages'', pg. 218.</ref> ==Notes== {{Reflist}} <br /> {{Iraq topics}} {{Languages of Asia}} [[Category:Languages of Iraq| ]] [[bn:ইরাকের ভাষা]]'