Names of the Berber people
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| - | The term ''Berber'' is a variation of the Latin original word ''[[Barbarian]],'' earlier in history applied by Romans specifically to their northern hostile neighbors from Germania (modern Germany) and Celts, Iberians, Gauls, Goths and Thracians. The variation is a French one when spelled ''Berbere'' and English when spelled ''Berber''. The term appeared first in the 4th century in the religious conflicts between Saint Augustine, a Numidian Berber-Roman bishop of the [[Catholic]] faith, and the Berber Donatists of the [[Donatism]] faith who were allies of the Barbarian [[Vandals]]. The Vandals migrated from [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] (modern [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]]) where they were assailed by the Gauls allied to the Romans, and settled west of the Roman city of Carthage (in modern Tunisia) in the highlands (in modern Algeria). | + | The ethnonym Berber dates to the 19th century, derived from ''[[Barbary]]'' the term for the [[Maghreb]] coast used during the early modern period, itself from Greek ''barbaria'' "land of [[barbarian]]s". |
| + | The contemporary self-designation current mostly in Morocco is ''Imazighen'' (singular ''Amazigh''). | ||
| + | This term is common in Morocco, especially among Central Atlas, Rifian and Shilah speakers in 1980, but elsewhere within the Berber homeland sometimes a local, more particular term, such as [[Kabyle people|Kabyle]] (Kabyle comes from Arabic: tribal confederation) or [[Chaoui]], is more often used instead in Algeria. | ||
| - | ==Amazigh and Berber== | + | The Berber tribal populations of antiquity are known as [[Numidians]] and later as [[Mauri people|Mauri]] in classical antiquity. These are umbrella terms that would include populations whose self-designation was a variety of tribal names, although [[Strabo]] asserts that ''Mauri'' was also used indigenously. |
| - | The Greek term "βάρβαρος / βάρβαροι" was originally a derogatory term for all non-Greek speakers. The nonsense syllables "bar-bar" have no meaning in Greek; the term implied that all languages other than Greek were a collection of nonsense syllables. The term has been variously translated as "stutterers," "stammerers," or "babblers." But the term did include, from the beginning, a connotation of being non-civilized or "barbaric" that later became primary in cognate terms like "barbarian." | + | The ''[[Libu]]'' of ancient Egyptian sources, eponymous of the name ''[[ancient Libya|Libya]]'' may also have been an early Berber or [[Proto-Berber]] population. |
| - | Contrary to ancient sources, the Amazigh/Imazighen (the Berber people) were not called ''barbarians'' by the Greeks and Romans. The Berbers were known as '''Libyans''' (Λίβυες or Λίβυοι) or '''Mazyes''' (Μάζυες or Μάξυες; Mazaces in Latin) to the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] derived from ''Mazigh'' the ancestor of the Berbers. They were known under many other names to the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] as [[Numidian]]s, [[Mauri people|Mauri]] and [[Moors]]. The [[Egyptians]] called their western neighbors the [[Meshwesh]] and [[Libu]]. | + | ==Berber== |
| - | Because the Berbers were called '''Al-Barbar''' by the [[Arab]]s, the modern [[European languages]] and other ones adopted it from the [[Arabic language]]. The Arabs probably did not use the name ''Al-Barbar'' mainly as a derogatory name. The ancient [[Muslim historians|Arab-Muslim historians]] were not aware of the origin of that name, they cited some myths or stories about the name. The most notorious myth considers an eponymous ''Barbar'' as the ancestor of the Berbers. According to that myth, "the Berbers were the descendants of Barbar, the son of Tamalla, the son of Mazigh, the son of Canaan, the son of [[Ham, son of Noah|Ham]], the son of [[Noah]]" ([[Ibn Khaldun]], ''The History of Ibn Khaldun'', Chapter 3). Another people called Berbers by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively, were the ancestors of the Somalis. Barbara, an ancient region on the northern coast of [[Somalia]] was referred to as '''Bilad al-Barbar''' (''Land of the Berbers''). | + | The term ''Berber'' is a variation of the Greek original word [[Barbarian|''barbaros'' ("barbarian")]], earlier in history applied by Romans specifically to their northern hostile neighbors from Germania (modern Germany) and Celts, Iberians, Gauls, Goths and Thracians. The variation is a French one when spelled ''Berbère'' and English when spelled ''Berber''. The term appeared first in the 4th century in the religious conflicts between [[Saint Augustine]], a [[Numidian]] Berber-Roman bishop of the [[Catholic]] faith, and the Berber Donatists of the [[Donatism]] faith who were allies of the Barbarian [[Vandals]]. The Vandals migrated from [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] (modern [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]]) where they were assailed by the Gauls allied to the Romans, and settled west of the Roman city of Carthage (in modern Tunisia) in the highlands (in modern Algeria). |
| - | The fact that the name ''Berber'' is a strange name to the Berbers led to confusion. Some sources claim that the Berbers are several ethnic groups who are not related to each other. That is not accurate, because the Berbers refer to themselves as ''Imazighen'' singular: Amazigh, throughout all of [[North Africa]] from [[Canary Islands]] to [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]] and [[Libya]] including the [[Egypt]]ian oasis of [[Siwa Oasis|Siwa]] and about half of the [[Sahara Desert]]. In addition, genetic studies suggest a strong genetic bond between all the inhabitants of modern-day North Africa west of the Nile river. | + | [[Etymology|Derived terms]] include the toponym [[Barbary]] and the animals [[Barb horse]] and [[Barbary duck]]. |
| - | The origins of both the names ''Berber'' and ''[[Amazigh]]'' is ambiguous. The oldest cited reference to "Amazigh" goes back to the neighboring [[ancient Egypt]]ians when they mentioned an ancient Libyan tribe called ''[[Meshwesh]]''. Those Meshwesh are supposed by some scholars to be the same ancient Libyan tribe that was mentioned as ''Maxyans'' by the Greek historian [[Herodotus]]. | + | The Greek term "βάρβαρος / βάρβαροι" was originally a term for all non-Greek speakers, not necessarily used derogatively. The nonsense syllables "bar-bar" have no meaning in Greek; the term implied that all languages other than Greek were a collection of nonsense syllables (cf. the Dutch [[onomatopoetic]] term ''[[Hottentot]]''). The term has been variously translated as "stutterers," "stammerers," or "babblers." The term did in origin refer to any people of "incomprehensible speech" (cf. [[Names of Germany#Names from Nemets|names for Germans]]), including Persia and Egypt; its connotation of uncivilized rudeness (cf. ''[[Philistine]]'' and ''[[Vandal]]''), now the primary meaning of the term "barbarian", appears to have emerged in the Roman era or with the [[Migration period]]. |
| + | |||
| + | Because the Berbers were called ''Al-Barbar'' by the [[Arab]]s, the early modern ''[[Barbary]]'' seems to be a re-adoption of the name from Arabic. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Muslim historians|Muslim historiography]] has an eponymous ''Barbar'' as the ancestor of the Berbers, "the Berbers were the descendants of Barbar, the son of Tamalla, the son of Mazigh, the son of Canaan, the son of [[Ham, son of Noah|Ham]], the son of [[Noah]]" ([[Ibn Khaldun]], ''The History of Ibn Khaldun'', Chapter 3). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Another people called Berbers by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively, were the ancestors of the Somalilanders. ''Barbara'', an ancient region on the northern coast of [[Somaliland]] was referred to as '''Bilad al-Barbar''' (''Land of the Berbers''). | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Amazigh == | ||
| + | The modern self-designation ''Imazighen'' (singular ''Amazigh'') apparently derives from the name of the ''Mazikes'' mentioned in Byzantine sources. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines mentioned various tribes with similar names living in Greater Libya (North Africa) in the areas where Berbers were later found. Later tribal names differ from the classical sources, but are probably still related to the modern ''Amazigh''. The [[Meshwesh]] tribe among them represents the first thus identified from the field. Scholars believe it would be the same tribe called a few centuries after in Greek Mazyes by Hektaios and Maxyes by [[Herodotus]], while it was called after that the "Mazaces" and "Mazax" in Latin sources, and related to the later [[Massylii]] and [[Masaesyli]]. All those names are similar and perhaps foreign renditions to the name used by the Berbers in general for themselves, ''Imazighen''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Laredo (1954) proposed that the name Amazigh could be derived from the name of the ancestor ''Mezeg'' which is the translation of biblical ancestor Dedan son of Sheba in the ''[[Targum]]''. According to [[Leo Africanus]], ''Amazigh'' meant "free man". Etymologically, the name may be related to the well attested "aze" strong, "Tizzit" bravery, or "jeghegh" to be brave/courageous. | ||
| + | Further it also has a cognate in the [[Tuareg people|Tuareg]] word "Amajegh", meaning "noble". | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| * [[Berber people]] | * [[Berber people]] | ||
| * [[Berber language]] | * [[Berber language]] | ||
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| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
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The ethnonym Berber dates to the 19th century, derived from Barbary the term for the Maghreb coast used during the early modern period, itself from Greek barbaria "land of barbarians". The contemporary self-designation current mostly in Morocco is Imazighen (singular Amazigh). This term is common in Morocco, especially among Central Atlas, Rifian and Shilah speakers in 1980, but elsewhere within the Berber homeland sometimes a local, more particular term, such as Kabyle (Kabyle comes from Arabic: tribal confederation) or Chaoui, is more often used instead in Algeria.
The Berber tribal populations of antiquity are known as Numidians and later as Mauri in classical antiquity. These are umbrella terms that would include populations whose self-designation was a variety of tribal names, although Strabo asserts that Mauri was also used indigenously. The Libu of ancient Egyptian sources, eponymous of the name Libya may also have been an early Berber or Proto-Berber population.
Berber
The term Berber is a variation of the Greek original word barbaros ("barbarian"), earlier in history applied by Romans specifically to their northern hostile neighbors from Germania (modern Germany) and Celts, Iberians, Gauls, Goths and Thracians. The variation is a French one when spelled Berbère and English when spelled Berber. The term appeared first in the 4th century in the religious conflicts between Saint Augustine, a Numidian Berber-Roman bishop of the Catholic faith, and the Berber Donatists of the Donatism faith who were allies of the Barbarian Vandals. The Vandals migrated from Iberia (modern Spain and Portugal) where they were assailed by the Gauls allied to the Romans, and settled west of the Roman city of Carthage (in modern Tunisia) in the highlands (in modern Algeria).
Derived terms include the toponym Barbary and the animals Barb horse and Barbary duck.
The Greek term "βάρβαρος / βάρβαροι" was originally a term for all non-Greek speakers, not necessarily used derogatively. The nonsense syllables "bar-bar" have no meaning in Greek; the term implied that all languages other than Greek were a collection of nonsense syllables (cf. the Dutch onomatopoetic term Hottentot). The term has been variously translated as "stutterers," "stammerers," or "babblers." The term did in origin refer to any people of "incomprehensible speech" (cf. names for Germans), including Persia and Egypt; its connotation of uncivilized rudeness (cf. Philistine and Vandal), now the primary meaning of the term "barbarian", appears to have emerged in the Roman era or with the Migration period.
Because the Berbers were called Al-Barbar by the Arabs, the early modern Barbary seems to be a re-adoption of the name from Arabic.
Muslim historiography has an eponymous Barbar as the ancestor of the Berbers, "the Berbers were the descendants of Barbar, the son of Tamalla, the son of Mazigh, the son of Canaan, the son of Ham, the son of Noah" (Ibn Khaldun, The History of Ibn Khaldun, Chapter 3).
Another people called Berbers by medieval Arab and ancient Greek geographers, respectively, were the ancestors of the Somalilanders. Barbara, an ancient region on the northern coast of Somaliland was referred to as Bilad al-Barbar (Land of the Berbers).
Amazigh
The modern self-designation Imazighen (singular Amazigh) apparently derives from the name of the Mazikes mentioned in Byzantine sources. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines mentioned various tribes with similar names living in Greater Libya (North Africa) in the areas where Berbers were later found. Later tribal names differ from the classical sources, but are probably still related to the modern Amazigh. The Meshwesh tribe among them represents the first thus identified from the field. Scholars believe it would be the same tribe called a few centuries after in Greek Mazyes by Hektaios and Maxyes by Herodotus, while it was called after that the "Mazaces" and "Mazax" in Latin sources, and related to the later Massylii and Masaesyli. All those names are similar and perhaps foreign renditions to the name used by the Berbers in general for themselves, Imazighen.
Laredo (1954) proposed that the name Amazigh could be derived from the name of the ancestor Mezeg which is the translation of biblical ancestor Dedan son of Sheba in the Targum. According to Leo Africanus, Amazigh meant "free man". Etymologically, the name may be related to the well attested "aze" strong, "Tizzit" bravery, or "jeghegh" to be brave/courageous. Further it also has a cognate in the Tuareg word "Amajegh", meaning "noble".
See also
