Chaouia language

language
name=Chaoui
nativename=θšawiθ
states=Algeria
region=Aurès ( Batna, Khenchela, Sétif, Constantine, Oum El Bouaghi, Souk Ahras, Tébessa)
speakers=2,000,000
familycolor=Afro-Asiatic
fam2=Berber
fam3=Northern
iso2=ber|iso3=shy

Chaouia (Chaouia "θšawiθ" or "Hšawiθ") is the eponymous Berber language spoken by the Chaoui people of eastern Algeria around Batna, Khenchela, Sétif, Constantine, Oum El Bouaghi, Souk Ahras, Tébessa and the north part of Biskra. It has over two million speakers.

Known alternative spellings are "Shawia", "Shawiya", "Tachawit", "Thachawith", "Tachaouith", and "Thchèwith". In Chaouia, the leading [t] phoneme - pronounced IPA|θ in that phonetic environment - is often reduced to an /h/, so the native name is often heard as "Hšawiθ".

Chaouia is not a written language and based on the fact that it is not taught in schools, it may soon become extinct. Being that the Chaouia are predominantly rural and secluded, speakers often code-switch to Arabic, French or even English to discuss non-traditional technology and sociological concerns.