The Siwa (Sioua) language, Siwi, also known as Oasis Berber or ambiguously as Zenati, is a Berber language of Egypt, spoken by 15,000 to 20,000 people in the oases of Siwa and Gara, near the Libyan border. The language has been heavily influenced by Egyptian Arabic,. Its use by the ethnic Siwi population is in decline, as most have shifted to Arabic as their primary language. Some native adult Siwis express a certain distaste for the language, believing it would be better for their children's educational prospects if they spoke Arabic from the start. Overall, the majority of the native population views the language in a positive light and nearly all learn to speak Arabic as a second language from an early age.