This article studies a number of questions in the reconstruction of the Berber deictic system. Based on a comparative analysis informed by historical phonology, it is shown (1) that the variation... Show moreThis article studies a number of questions in the reconstruction of the Berber deictic system. Based on a comparative analysis informed by historical phonology, it is shown (1) that the variation of the form of the singular proximal deictics can be understood from a basic form a, which could be expanded by a complementary element d, and, possibly, also by an element Ɂ; (2) that the proximal system of deictics originally had a number difference, even among adnominal deictics; (3) that the Ghadames (Libya) Anaphoric series sg -e, pl -id has clear parallels in other varieties, especially in Kabyle (Algeria), and that, as a consequence, it can be reconstructed for proto-Berber. Show less
The Amazigh (aka Berber) language Tarifiyt has two different roots for ‘to see’, ẓr, and wř, which are in partial complementary distribution depending on the aspect of the verb. In this article,... Show moreThe Amazigh (aka Berber) language Tarifiyt has two different roots for ‘to see’, ẓr, and wř, which are in partial complementary distribution depending on the aspect of the verb. In this article, the exact distribution of these verb roots is discussed for one paticular variety of Tarifiyt, that spoken in and around the city of Nador. It is shown that there are two, partially overlapping, verbs, one ‘to go/come and see’, which is always expressed by ẓr, and the other a general ‘see’ verb, which uses the root wř in the Imperfective stems, and ẓr in the Aorist and Perfective stems. However, the distribution is more complicated than that, and in the negation of irrealis events, Imperfective ẓr can also be used with the general ‘see’ verb. Moreover, it is shown that the choice of the aspect in the general ‘see’ verb is different in its details from that of other verbs, something that it may share with other verbs of experience perception. Show less
Over the last decades, our insights in the phonological history of Berber and the reconstruction of its earlier stages greatly evolved. This is thanks to an emergent discussion and to new data on a... Show moreOver the last decades, our insights in the phonological history of Berber and the reconstruction of its earlier stages greatly evolved. This is thanks to an emergent discussion and to new data on a number of languages that are crucial to reconstructing Proto-Berber, most importantly the works by Catherine Taine-Cheikh on Zenaga. In this article, I will provide an overview of the results and challenges in the reconstruction of Proto-Berber phonology. Show less
The second-century bce Libyco-Berber inscriptions from Dougga (present-day Tunisia) have seven different signs for sibilants. In this article the sibilant system of these inscriptions and of the... Show moreThe second-century bce Libyco-Berber inscriptions from Dougga (present-day Tunisia) have seven different signs for sibilants. In this article the sibilant system of these inscriptions and of the language they represent is studied in detail. It is shown that the different signs are not just graphemic variants but represent different pronunciations. It is also shown that there is a possibility that the seven signs in fact represent three or four articulations with a length contrast, even though the evidence is very weak. As Proto-Berber has been reconstructed with only three sibilants (+ length opposition), the choice of how to analyze the seven Libyco-Berber sibilant signs has important implications as to how the relationship between Libyco-Berber and Proto-Berber is to be assessed. Show less
Berber languages outside Mauritania have a number of different morphological classes of vowel-final and semivowel-final verbs ("final weak verbs"). The situation in Zenaga of Mauritania looks... Show moreBerber languages outside Mauritania have a number of different morphological classes of vowel-final and semivowel-final verbs ("final weak verbs"). The situation in Zenaga of Mauritania looks very different. In this article, the Zenaga reflexes of the non- Mauritanian weak verbs are compared by studying all relevant cognates. As a result, it proves possible to establish to what extent the main weak verb classes of non- Mauritanian Berber are reflected in Zenaga, and to what extent certain irregularities can be understood from Zenaga-internal developments. Show less
Several verbal forms reconstructed for proto-Semitic strongly resemble reconstructed forms in proto-Berber: compare Semitic yV-PaRRaS to Berber y-əFăRRăS, Semitic yV-PRaS to Berber y-əFRăS, and... Show moreSeveral verbal forms reconstructed for proto-Semitic strongly resemble reconstructed forms in proto-Berber: compare Semitic yV-PaRRaS to Berber y-əFăRRăS, Semitic yV-PRaS to Berber y-əFRăS, and Semitic yV-PRuS and yV-PRiS to Berber y-ăFRəS. We suggest that these forms are historically related and sketch a line of development from the reconstructed meanings to their attested uses. yVPaRRaS, originally imperfective, retains that value in both Berber and Semitic. yVPRas, originally stative, gained a perfective meaning in Berber and Semitic; the stative meaning is retained in Berber, but was largely lost in Semitic. yVPRus/yVPRiS, originally perfective, retained that meaning in Semitic, merging with the newly perfective yVPRas forms; in Berber, yVPRaS completely replaced perfective yVPRuS/yVPRiS, relegating the latter to non-aspectual uses. We conclude by considering the quality of the first vowel; the alternation seen in Berber y-əFRăS and y-ăFRəS supports reconstructions as yiPRaS and yaPRuS/yaPRiS, conforming to the Barth–Ginsberg Law of Semitic. Show less
Dutch Straattaal is often described as a multiethnolect that is not only used among members of several different heritage groups, but also marks new identities. In this article, the focus is on the... Show moreDutch Straattaal is often described as a multiethnolect that is not only used among members of several different heritage groups, but also marks new identities. In this article, the focus is on the position of Straattaal among Moroccan youth, based on data from internet exchanges. The general observation is confirmed that Surinamese elements in Straattaal are used by Moroccan youth, and mixed with etymologically Moroccan elements. However, a different picture arises when studying meta-commentary by Moroccans about Straattaal. It appears that young Moroccans construct the use of lexical items from Sranan – the most salient feature of Straattaal – as something belonging to the Black community, and not as something they identify with. Thus, while Straattaal could be considered a multiethnolect on the level of actual speech, it is ideologically kept apart, and at that level much less multiethnic than is sometimes suggested. Show less
Among the many people that are involved in the refugee trail towards the European Union via Turkey and the Balkans, a large group originates from the northern part of Morocco, the Rif. The article... Show moreAmong the many people that are involved in the refugee trail towards the European Union via Turkey and the Balkans, a large group originates from the northern part of Morocco, the Rif. The article presents a bilingual edition of five songs that have this wave of immigration out of Morocco as their subject. The songs are produced in Nador (Morocco) and sung in Tarifiyt Berber. Show less
In the Dutch used by Moroccan heritage youth one often encounters Moroccan Arabic and Berber function words inserted in otherwise Dutch discourse. This article studies a subset of these function... Show moreIn the Dutch used by Moroccan heritage youth one often encounters Moroccan Arabic and Berber function words inserted in otherwise Dutch discourse. This article studies a subset of these function words within the internet forum chaima.nl, a forum geared towards adolescent girls and young women of Moroccan descent in the Netherlands and Flanders. It aims to show that one major function of the insertion of these function words is to key the utterance as (self-)ironic and not-too-serious. Show less
