Beja (Bidhaawyeet, Tu-Bdhaawi) is a member of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages which includes, among others, the Cushitic and the Semitic languages. Beja holds a special position within the Afro-Asiatic languages, since it is the only Cushitic language classified as North Cushitic. Other Cushitic languages - including languages like Afar, Blin, Oromo and Somali - are spoken far to the south of the Beja area. Semitic languages - including Arabic, Tigre and Tigrigna - are neighboring languages north and south of the Beja area.