Amazigh
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Berber a-maziɣ, amazigh, an endogenous ethnonym. First attested in European languages in antiquity in Greek and Latin sources where it appears in various forms such as Μάσικες (Másikes) and Mazices.
In Berber, it has the meaning “free, noble man”. There is no consensus on its etymology. It seems to be the agent noun of an ancient radical *ZƔ which could be related to the verbal root ZƔ (“to set up tent”), attested in Central Atlas Tamazight and to the pan-Berber noun tazeqqa (“house”) (pl. tizeɣwin). If this link is correct, the word amaziɣ would have originally meant “the nomad, he who lives under the tent” or “the inhabitant, the resident”. [1]
With the regular sound correspondence of Tamazight ɣ to the corresponding Semitic roots k, q; in turn a related Afroasiatic language group, is ز ك و (z-k-w), which does have the meaning of “free”, “to be purified from excess”, “to dispense of filth or materials”, to improve”, “to free something of inefficiencies”, “to shed its burdens”, “not to be bogged down”, “to allow to thrive or move freely”.[2]
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
Amazigh (plural Amazighs or Imazighen)
- A member of a particular ethnic group indigenous to northwest Africa; a Berber.
Proper noun[edit]
Amazigh
- Any of several Berber languages spoken by the Amazigh people.