Here I present: Naceur Jabouja, “Introduction to Tamazight Language: A Gateway to Amazigh Culture”, 2024.
INTRODUCTION.
The Tamazight language (ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ Tamazight) is a Berber language of the Afroasiatic language family spoken by three million (3,000,000) people. Tamazight is the subject of the 2024 grammar book by Naceur Jabouja. The Tamazight language is written in the Tifinagh & Neo-Tifinagh scripts (shown BELOW).
| Tifinagh | Neo-Tifinagh | |
| b | ⵀ | ⴱ |
| g | ⴳ | ⴳ |
| d | ⴷ,ⴸ | ⴷ |
| h | ⵂ | ⵀ |
| w | ⵓ | ⵡ |
| z1 | ⵋ | ⵊ |
| ṭ | ⵟ | ⵟ |
| y | ⵉ | ⵢ |
| k | ⴾ | ⴽ |
| l | ⵍ | ⵍ |
| m | ⵎ | ⵎ |
| n | ⵏ | ⵏ |
| s1 | ⵚ | |
| f | ⴼ | ⴼ |
| s2 | ⵙ | ⵙ |
| q/ɣ? | ⵗ/ⵈ | ⵖ/ⵇ |
| r | ⵔ | ⵔ |
| s3 | ⵛ | ⵛ |
| t | ⵜ | ⵜ |
| z2 | ⵣ | ⵣ |
| s4 | ||
| z3 | ⵌ | ⵥ |
The Swadesh similarity decay of cognate words is shown BELOW. The Swadesh list of words for Tamazight are shown BENEATH.
SWADESH SIMILARITY TIMELINE.
| Dating Time | Similarity |
| 0 BP | 100% |
| 500 BP | 86% |
| 1000 BP | 74% |
| 1500 BP | 64% |
| 2000 BP | 55% |
| 2500 BP | 47% |
| 3000 BP | 40% |
| 4000 BP | 30% |
| 5000 BP | 22% |
SWADESH TAMAZIGHT WORDS.
| English | Tamazight | |
| A | all | ⵇⴰⵃ (qaḥ), ⴽⵓⵍ(kul) |
| and | ⴷ (d) | |
| animal | hayawan | |
| ash | ⵉⵖⴷ (iɣd) | |
| at | ⵖⵔ (ɣr), ⵢ (y) | |
| B | back | ⵜⴰⴷⴰⵡⵜ (tadawt) |
| bad | ⴳⴰⵔ (gar), ⵅⵅⵓ(xxu), ⵓⵔⵉⵃⵍⵉⵏ(uriḥlin) | |
| bark (of a tree) | ⴰⵇⵛⵓⵔ (aqcur) | |
| because | ⵄⵍⴰⵃⵇⵇ (ɛlaḥqq) | |
| belly | ⴰⵄⴷⴷⵉⵙ(aɛddis), ⴰⴷⵉⵙ(adis) | |
| big | ⴰⵅⴰⵜⴰⵔ (axatar), ⴰⵎⵇⵇⵔⴰⵏ(amqqran) | |
| bird | ⴰⵊⴹⵉⴹ (ajḍiḍ) | |
| black | ⴰⴱⵔⴽⴰⵏ(abrkan), ⴰⴱⵅⵅⵓⵛ(abxxuc) | |
| blood | ⵉⴷⴰⵎⵎⵏ (idammn) | |
| bone | ⵉⵅⵚ (ixṣ) | |
| breast | ⴰⴱⵓⴱⴱⵓ(abubbu), ⵉⴼⴼ(iff) | |
| to bite | ⵛⵛ (cc), ⵇⵇⵙ(qqs) | |
| to blow | ⵙⵙⵓⴹ (ssuḍ) | |
| to breathe | ⵙⵙⵓⵏⴼⵙ(ssunfs) | |
| to burn | ⵖⵓⵙ (ɣus)(intransitive), ⵙⵙⵖⵓⵙ (ssɣus)(transitive), ⴽⵎⴹ(kmḍ) | |
| C | child | ⵍⵄⵉⵍ (lɛil), ⴰⵔⴱⴰ(arba), ⵉⵛⵉⵔⵔⵉ(icirri) |
| cloud | ⵉⵙⴳⵏⵡ (isgnw) | |
| cold | ⵙⵎⵉⴹ (smiḍ) | |
| correct | ⵙⵜⵉⵜⵜ (stitt), ⵙⵃⵓ (sḥu), ⵍⵃⵇⵇ(lḥqq) | |
| to come | ⴰⵙ (as), ⴷⴷⵓ ⴷ(ddu d) | |
| to count | ⵃⴰⵙⴱ (ḥasb) | |
| to cut | ⴱⴱⵢ (bby) | |
| D | day | ⴰⵙⵙ (ass) |
| dirty | ⵔⴽⵓ (rku), ⵓⵎⵓⵎ(umum) (very dirty), ⵡⵙⵅ (wsx) | |
| dog | ⵉⵢⴷⵉ (iydi) | |
| dry | ⵇⵇⴰⵔ (qqar), ⵣⵡⵓ (zwu) | |
| dull (as a knife) | ⵃⴼⵓ (ḥfu) | |
| dust | ⵜⴰⴳⴷⵕⵓⵕⵜ(tagdṛuṛt) | |
| to die | ⵎⵎⵜ (mmt) | |
| to dig | ⵖⵣ (ɣz) | |
| to drink | ⵙⵡ (sw) | |
| E | ear | ⴰⵎⵥⵥⵓⵖ(amẓẓuɣ) |
| earth | ⴰⴽⴰⵍ (akal) | |
| egg | ⵜⴰⴳⵍⴰⵢⵜ (taglayt) | |
| eye | ⵜⵉⵟⵟ (tiṭṭ) (plural ⴰⵍⵍⵏ) | |
| to eat | ⵛⵛ (cc) | |
| F | far | ⴱⵄⴷ (bɛd) |
| fat (noun) | ⵉⵎⵙ (ims), ⵜⴰⴷⵓⵏⵜ (tadunt) | |
| father | ⴱⴱⴰ (bba) | |
| feather | ⵔⵔⵉⵛ (rric) | |
| few | ⵉⵎⵉⴽ (imik), ⵛⵡⵉⵢ (cwiy) | |
| fingernail | ⴰⵛⵛⵔ (accr), ⵉⵙⴽⵔ (iskr), ⴰⵅⴱⴰⵛ (axbac) | |
| fire | ⴰⴼⴰ (afa), ⵍⵄⴰⴼⵉⵜ (lɛafit) | |
| fish | ⴰⵙⵍⵎ (aslm) | |
| five | ⵙⵎⵎⵓⵙ(smmus), ⵅⵎⵙⴰ(xmsa) | |
| flower | ⴰⵢⵊⵊⵉⴳ (ayjjig) | |
| fog | ⵜⴰⴳⵯⵓⵜⵜ (tagʷutt) | |
| foot | ⴰⴹⴰⵔ (aḍar) | |
| forest | ⵄⴰⵔⵉ (ɛari) | |
| four | ⴽⴽⵓⵥ (kkuẓ), ⵔⴱⵄⴰ (rbɛa) | |
| fruit | ⵜⴰⵃⴱⵓⴱⵜ(taḥbubt) | |
| full | ⵄⵎⵎⵔ (ɛmmr) | |
| to fall | ⴹⵔ (ḍr), ⵜⵜⵓⵜⵜⵢ(ttutty) | |
| to fear | ⴳⴳⵯⴷ (ggʷd) | |
| to fight | ⵏⵏⴰⵖ (nnaɣ) | |
| to float | ⵀⵣⵣⴰ (hzza) | |
| to flow | ⴰⵣⵣⵍ (azzl), ⵙⵓⴷⴷⵎ (suddm), ⵏⴳⵉ (ngi), ⵔⵡⵍ(rwl) | |
| to fly | ⴰⴼⵔⵡ (afrw) | |
| to freeze | ⴳⵔⵙ (grs), ⵊⵎⵎⴷ (jmmd) | |
| G | good | ⵉⵥⵉⵍ (iẓil), ⵖⵓⴷⵓ(ɣudu) |
| grass | ⵜⵓⴳⴰ (tuga) | |
| green | ⴰⵣⴳⵣⴰⵡ(azgzaw) | |
| guts | ⵉⵙⵕⵎⴰⵏ (isṛman), ⵜⴰⴷⵓⵡⵡⴰⵔⵜ(taduwwart) | |
| to give | ⴽⴼ (kf) | |
| H | hair | ⴰⵣⵣⴰⵔ (azzar) |
| hand | ⴰⴼⵓⵙ (afus) | |
| he, she, it(3sg) | ⵏⵜⵜⴰ (ntta)(masculine), ⵏⵜⵜⴰⵜ(nttat) (feminine) | |
| head | ⵉⵖⴼ (iɣf), ⴰⵇⵕⵕⵓ (aqṛṛu), ⴰⵇⵛⴰⵛ (aqcac) | |
| heart | ⵓⵍ (ul) | |
| heavy | ⵥⵥⴰⴳ (ẓẓag), ⵙⵜⵉⵍ (stil) | |
| here | ⴷⴰⴷ (dad) | |
| horn | ⵉⵙⴽ (isk) | |
| how | ⵎⵉⵎⴽ (mimk) | |
| husband | ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ (argaz) | |
| to hear | ⵙⵍ (sl) | |
| to hit | ⴳⵯⵜ (gʷt) | |
| to hold | ⵟⵟⴼ (ṭṭf), ⴰⵎⵥ(amẓ) | |
| to hunt | ⴳⵎⵔ (gmr)(intransitive) | |
| I | I (1sg) | ⵏⴽⴽ (nkk) |
| ice | ⵉⵡⵔⵉ (iwri), ⴰⴳⵯⵔⵉⵙ (agʷris), ⴰⴳⵔⵉⵙ (agris) | |
| if | ⵎⴽ (mk) | |
| in | ⵢ (y), ⴷⵢ (dy) | |
| K | knee | ⴰⴼⵓⴷ (afud) |
| to kill | ⵏⵖ (nɣ) | |
| to know | ⵉⵙⵉⵏ (isin) | |
| L | lake | ⴰⴳⵯⵍⵎⴰⵎ(agʷlmam) |
| leaf | ⵜⴰⵡⵔⵉⵇⵜ(tawriqt), ⵉⴼⵔ(ifr) | |
| left | ⴰⵥⵍⵎⴰⴹ (aẓlmaḍ) | |
| leg | ⴰⴹⴰⵔ (aḍar) | |
| liver | ⵜⴰⵙⴰ (tasa) | |
| long | ⴰⵖⵣⵣⴰⴼ(aɣzzaf) | |
| louse | ⵜⴰⵅⵅⵓⵢⵜ(taxxuyt) | |
| to laugh | ⵟⵙ (ṭs) | |
| to lie (as in a bed) | ⴳⵏ (gn) | |
| to live | ⴷⴷⵔ (ddr) | |
| M | man (adult male) | ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ (argaz) |
| man (human being) | ⴰⵔⴳⴰⵣ (argaz) | |
| many | ⴱⵣⵣⴰⴼ (bzzaf), ⴳⴳⵉⴷⵉ (ggidi) | |
| meat | ⴰⴽⵙⵓⵎ (aksum) | |
| moon | ⴰⵢⵓⵔ (ayur) | |
| mother | ⵎⵎⴰ (mma) | |
| mountain | ⵊⵊⴱⵍ (jjbl) | |
| mouth | ⴰⵇⵎⵓ (aqmu), ⵉⵎⵉ (imi) | |
| N | name | ⵉⵙⵎ (ism) |
| narrow | ⵇⵎⵔ (qmr) | |
| near | ⴷ (d) (verb complement), ⵇⵔⵔⴱ (qrrb) | |
| neck | ⵃⵏⵢⵉ (ḥnyi), ⴰⵎⴳⵔⴹ (amgrḍ) | |
| new | ⵓⵊⴷⵉⴷ (ujdid) | |
| night | ⵉⴹ (iḍ) | |
| nose | ⵜⵉⴳⵏⵣⴰⵔ(tignzar), ⴰⵏⵣⴰⵔ(anzar) | |
| not | ⵓⵔ (ur) | |
| O | old | ⴰⵇⴷⵉⵎ (aqdim)(of a person) |
| one | ⵢⵓⵏ (yun), ⵢⵓⵜ(yut) (feminine) | |
| other | ⵢⴰⴹⵏ (yaḍn), ⵢⴰⴹⵏⵉⵏ (yaḍnin) | |
| P | to play | ⵓⵔⴰⵔ (urar), ⵀⴷⵔ (hdr), ⵍⵄⴱ(lɛb) |
| to pull | ⵏⵣⵖ (nzɣ), ⵍⴷⵉ(ldi) | |
| to push | ⵜⵃⵉ (tḥi), ⴷⴼⵄ(dfɛ) | |
| R | rain | ⴰⵏⵥⴰⵔ (anẓar) |
| red | ⴰⵣⴳⴳⵯⴰⵖ(azggʷaɣ) | |
| right | ⴰⴼⴰⵙⵉ (afasi) | |
| river | ⴰⵙⵉⴼ (asif) | |
| road | ⴰⴱⵔⵉⴷ (abrid) | |
| root | ⴰⵥⵓⵔ (aẓur) | |
| rope | ⴰⵙⵇⵇⵏ (asqqn), ⵉⵣⵉⴽⵔ (izikr), ⴰⴳⴰⵜⵓ (agatu) | |
| rotten | ⵔⵛⵓ (rcu)(especially wood) | |
| round | ⴰⵎⴹⵓⵡⵔ(amḍuwr) | |
| to rub | ⵎⵔⵢ (mry) | |
| S | salt | ⵜⵉⵙⵏⵜ (tisnt) |
| sand | ⴰⵍⵅⵉⵅ (alxix), ⵔⵔⵎⵍⴰ (rrmla) | |
| sea | ⵍⴱⵃⵔ (lbḥr) | |
| seed | ⵉⴼⵙⴰⵏ (ifsan), ⵣⵣⵔⵔⵉⵄⵜ(zzrriɛt), ⴰⵎⵓⴷ(amud) | |
| sharp (as a knife) | ⵛⵡⵓ (cwu) | |
| short | ⴰⵛⵟⵟⵡⴰⵏ(acṭṭwan), ⴳⵣⵉⵍ(gzil) | |
| skin | ⴰⴳⵯⵍⵉⵎ (agʷlim), ⴰⵀⵉⵜⵓⵔ (ahitur), ⴰⴽⵙⵓⵎ (aksum) | |
| sky | ⵉⴳⵏⵏⴰ (ignna) | |
| small | ⴰⵎⵥⵥⵢⴰⵏ(amẓẓyan) | |
| smoke | ⴰⴳⴳⵓ (aggu) | |
| smooth | ⴰⵍⴳⴳⵯⴰⵖ(alggʷaɣ) | |
| snake | ⵉⴼⵉⵖⵔ (ifiɣr) | |
| snow | ⴰⴷⴼⵍ (adfl) | |
| some | ⵛⴰ (ca) | |
| star | ⵉⵜⵔⵉ (itri) | |
| stick | ⵜⴰⵖⵔⵓⵛⵜ(taɣruct), ⵜⴰⵖⵔⵉⵜⵜ (taɣritt) | |
| stone | ⴰⵥⵔⵓ (aẓru)(collective noun), ⵉⵙⵍⵍⵉ (islli) | |
| straight | ⵏⵎ (nm), ⵙⴳⴳⵎ(sggm) | |
| sun | ⵜⴰⴼⵓⴽⵜ (tafukt) | |
| to say | ⵉⵏⵉ (ini) | |
| to scratch | ⴽⵎⵣ (kmz) | |
| to see | ⴰⵏⵏⴰⵢ (annay) | |
| to sew | ⴳⵏⵓ (gnu) | |
| to sing | ⵉⵔⵉⵔ (irir), ⵉⵏⵉ ⵉⵣⵍⴰⵏ (ini izlan) | |
| to sit | ⵇⵇⵉⵎ (qqim) | |
| to sleep | ⴳⵏ (gn) | |
| to smell | ⴽⴹⵓ (kḍu) | |
| to spit | ⵙⵙⵓⴼⵙ (ssufs) | |
| to split | ⵙⵜⵖ (stɣ), ⵟⵟⵉⵇⵙ (ṭṭiqs) | |
| to squeeze | ⵥⵎ (ẓm), ⵥⵉⵢⵔ(ẓiyr) | |
| to stab | ⵏⵇⵇⴱ (nqqb) | |
| to stand | ⴱⴷⴷ (bdd), ⵏⴽⵔ(nkr) | |
| to suck | ⵙⵙⵓⵎⵎ (ssumm) | |
| to swell | ⴰⴼⴼ (aff) | |
| to swim | ⵄⵓⵎ (ɛum) | |
| T | tail | ⴰⴱⵔⴹⵓⴹ(abrḍuḍ) |
| that | ⵡⴰⵏ (wan)(masculine), ⵜⴰⵏ(tan) (feminine), ⴰⵢⵉⵏ (ayin)(neuter) | |
| there | ⴷⵉⵏ (din) | |
| they (3pl) | ⵏⵉⵀⵏⵉ (nihni)(masculine), ⵏⵉⵀⵏⵜⵉ (nihnti)(feminine) | |
| thick | ⵣⵓⵔ (zur) (verb) | |
| thin | ⵙⴷⵉⴷ (sdid)(verb) | |
| this | ⵡⴰⴷ (wad)(masculine), ⵜⴰⴷ(tad) (feminine), ⴰⵢⴰⴷ (ayad)(neuter) | |
| three | ⴽⵔⴰⴹ (kraḍ) | |
| to throw | ⴳⵔ (gr) | |
| to tie | ⴰⵙⵙ (ass), ⵇⵇⵏ(qqn), ⴽⵔⵙ (krs), ⴽⵔⴼ (krf) | |
| to turn | ⴹⵓⵡⵔ (ḍuwr) | |
| tongue (organ) | ⵉⵍⵙ (ils) | |
| tooth | ⵓⵅⵙ (uxs), ⵜⵓⵖⵎⵙⵜ(tuɣmst), ⵓⴳⵍ(ugl) | |
| tree | ⴰⵙⴽⵍⵓ (asklu), ⴰⵅⵍⵉⵊⵊ (axlijj) | |
| two | ⵙⵉⵏ (sin), ⵙⵏⴰⵜ(snat) (feminine) | |
| to think | ⵅⵎⵎⵎ (xmmm) | |
| V | to vomit | ⵔⴰⵔ (rar) |
| W | warm | ⵃⵎⵓ (ḥmu), ⵔⵖ(rɣ) |
| water | ⴰⵎⴰⵏ (aman) | |
| we (1pl) | ⵏⵓⴽⴽⵏⵉ (nukkni) | |
| wet | ⴱⵣⵢ (bzy), ⵎⵎⵖ(mmɣ) | |
| what | ⵎⴰⵢ (may) | |
| when | ⵎⵉⵍⵎⵉ (milmi), ⵎⴰⵏⵜⵓⵔ (mantur) | |
| where | ⵎⴰⵏⵉ (mani) | |
| white | ⵓⵎⵍⵉⵍ (umlil), ⴰⵎⵍⵍⴰⵍ (amllal) | |
| who | ⵎⴰⵢ (may) | |
| wide | ⴼⵍⵉⵢ (fliy), ⵡⵙⵄ(wsɛ) | |
| wife | ⵜⴰⵎⵟⵟⵓⵜⵜ(tamṭṭutt) | |
| wind | ⴰⵣⵡⵓ (azwu), ⴰⵖⵔⴱⵉ (aɣrbi) | |
| wing | ⴰⴼⵔ (afr) | |
| with | ⴷ (d) | |
| woman | ⵜⴰⵎⵟⵟⵓⵜⵜ(tamṭṭutt) | |
| worm | ⴰⵡⴽⴽⵉⵡ(awkkiw) | |
| to walk | ⴷⴷⵓ (ddu) | |
| to wash | ⵙⵙⵉⵔⴷ (ssird) | |
| to wipe | ⵙⴼⴹ (sfḍ) | |
| Y | year | ⴰⵙⴳⴳⵯⴰⵙ(asggʷas) |
| yellow | ⴰⵡⵔⴰⵖ (awraɣ) | |
| you (2pl) | ⴽⵓⵏⵏⵉ (kunni)(masculine), ⴽⵏⵉⵏⵜⵉ (kninti)(feminine) | |
| you (2sg) | ⴽⴳⴳ (kgg)(masculine), ⴽⵎⵎ(kmm) (feminine) |