Iraqi language question

[Onlooker]

What us the common Iraqi language? Do most Iraqis speak more than one language? If so, what other languages?

[boobooday]

1. Iraqis mostly speak Arabic

In Iran, they speak Farsi or Persian. I heard a news person call it "Iranian" the other day. I had a friend from Iran, and he was very clear that he was NOT "Iranian" but Persian.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[Astarho]

2. Mesopotamian Arabic mostly

although Gulf Arabic and Standard Arabic as well. Along with various Kurdish languages in the north and a few communities of Assyrian, Armenian and Azerbaijani communities.

http://www.ethnologue.org/show_country.asp?name=Iraq

[Cleita]

3. I thought there were also small communities of Christians in

Iraq and Syria that spoke Aramaic.

[Astarho]

5. The Assyrians

are probably the Christians you're thinking of. (Assyrian being a dialect of Aramaic) From the link above:

ASSYRIAN NEO-ARAMAIC
30,000 in Iraq (1994) out of up to a reported 2,000,000 ethnic population. Population total all countries 210,000 or more speakers. 4,250,000 reported ethnic population.  Alternate names: LISHANA ATURAYA, SURET, SURETH, SURYAYA SWADAYA, ASSYRIAN, NEO-SYRIAC, ASSYRISKI, AISORSKI, ASSYRIANCI.  Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern. 

-snip-

CHALDEAN NEO-ARAMAIC
100,000 to 120,000 in Iraq (1994). Population total all countries 200,000 (1994 H. Mutzafi).  Alternate names: CHALDEAN, KILDANI, KALDAYA, NEO-CHALDEAN, MODERN CHALDEAN, SURETH, LISHANA KALDAYA, FELLIHI, FALLANI.  Dialects: MANGESH, ALQOSH, TEL KEPE, TISQOPA, BARTILLE, SHIRNAK-CHIZRE (BOHTAN), ARADHIN, DIHOK.  Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.

[eurolefty]

4. <self-deleted>